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PUBLISHERS:
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Chino

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
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Cover credits: Pitbull photo by

Julia Beverly; Out Da Cutt photo
by Eric Johnson; Uncle Luke photo
by Julia Beverly. OZONE Magazine
is published eleven times annually
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 I just got my first issue of OZONE Magazine. I
really enjoyed it. Y’all will be around to see
the fall of the other top magazines. Y’all
are straight-up in your articles, and that’s
what counts. That’s what separates y’all
from the rest of the pack. Keep up the good work.
I’m gonna subscribe to y’all shit. Y’all the bomb. -
Arian a.k.a. Bean 43rd of the Fo-Tre Rydas (Mayo
Correctional Inst., FL)
This is the first time I’ve read OZONE. The qual-
ity of your magazine is real hot! This is definitely
something that I could get used to. For some
reason, I find that your magazine is more personal
than other magazines like XXL or The Source. This
is the first time in a long time that I’ve read a
magazine straight through, from cover to cover. I’m
just really starting to get into Southern music and
this magazine put me onto a lot of up and coming
artists. – Najja Howard, najjabee@hotmail.com
(Chicago, IL)
As a fan of OZONE Magazine, I gotta tell ya that
those groupie stories you have are the wildest shit
ever. But as a rapper, my biggest fear is ending up
in there! You may be saving a lot of rap marriages,
cause niggas ain’t tryin’ to end up in that section!
– Killer Mike (Atlanta, GA)
I’m glad y’all exist. I’m dead-ass serious. My favor-
ite part of OZONE is the photos. It’s okay to see big
name stars in the magazine (boring), but when I see
artists from my own city in the pictures, it makes
me feel good to see that they’re getting some shine
too. I’m about to subscribe to OZONE, and so are
my cousins. We’re tired of seeing all that popular
bullshit in magazines. It’s the same shit we see on
MTV, VH1, and BET. Thanks, OZONE, for holding
down the South! - 904 Balla, Q904Balla@aol.com
(Jacksonville, FL)
Yo, C-Murder, what’s good. I read your “Prison Di-
ary: Trials & Tribulations” in the OZONE Magazine
last month. I’m glad to see you holdin’ ya head up
while you in there. My mans just recently got locked
up, he doin’ five years. He was somethin’ like my
brother, so it’s kinda hard livin’ without him. I know
your brothers and the rest of your fam gotta be goin’
through it. For what it’s worth, man, you’re in my
prayers. Stay up. – Brian Lewis, yungduce@hotmail.com (Tampa, FL)
JB, I feel your 2 cents! Sometimes I forget why I’m in this game and why
I started making mix CDs – cause it’s fun and I want people to hear the
same hot shit I like! Now it’s gotten so political. People want to pay to
get on ‘em, and people want to sponsor them but their music ain’t all
that good. Now I’m trying to take my CDs back to that time when music
was just fun and before the record labels got involved! I am also blessed
to be able to wake up and can’t wait to get to work. I love it! – Scorpio,
mastermindmusic@hotmail.com (Atlanta, GA)
I just read your article on pirate radio in the February issue, which
was overdue, to say the least. The article gave me a little motivation
to see other soldiers like myself in the war of underground radio vs.
corporate radio. Uncle Luke couldn’t have said it better! I hope your
readers out there completely understand what’s going on with pirate
radio down here in South Florida. It’s an everyday struggle for our own
rights, freedom of speech, and a big “fuck you” to corporate radio and
supporters who are attempting to destroy hip-hop culture by force-
feeding our generation. Then they wonder why sales are down, labels
are folding and merging daily, and no one in our generation wants to
listen to corporate radio. Somebody please save our culture, because if
I hear Ja Rule’s “New York, New York” one more time on Clear Channel
6 OZONE APR 2005
I might… never mind. I enjoyed the article,
though. Don’t forget about the rest of the
soldiers out here in the battlefield fighting for
our rights. While many stations are only on
for a couple hours down here in South Florida,
I’ve been down here ridin’ out 24 hours a day,
7 days a week for over two years and there ain’t a
damn thang the Feds can do. I’ve been busted six
times and still ridin’ out. Check me out whenever
you’re in Ft. Myers (97.3 FM), Naples (103.3 FM),
or Immokalee (106.1 FM) areas. Y’all first-timers
should get at me, too, if you don’t want the Feds
messing with your station. Technology is a beast.
Use it to your advantage! Knowledge is everything.
For y’all labels that would like promotion, this is
one of the fastest-growing markets in the country
(25,000 listeners/potential customers). You can
stream me 24 hours a day as well; a real pirate
radio survivor like Dawgman. Don’t forget about
Raylo in Palm Beach, Bo tha Lover in Dade, and
Delroy in Ft. Lauderdale, either, they’re real pirate
radio soldiers that deserve to be mentioned in your
magazine too. – J-Style, jstylex1023@aol.com or
239-784-4352 (Ft. Myers, FL)
Your magazine is the best way for our Southern
voices to be heard. God bless your company for
the good work! The issue with T.I. on the cover is
fire. I’m gonna keep it gangsta and subscribe to
your magazine. I need something that’s original
and true, from the streets. - Mondraw Brown (Ben-
nettville, SC)
Since the first time I picked up an OZONE Magazine
from a radio station who reps you to the fullest
(102.3 in T-Town Tallahassee), I couldn’t keep my
eyes out of it. The articles are full of info. I really
loved the article you did on my true ryda Khia.
That bitch is so real. I like her cause she’s real
about everything she does and says, regardless of
how people take it. Khia is Khia with or without
the cameras rolling. She’s my top female rapper.
My girl owns the title “Queen of the South.” She
knows that’s her shit, that’s why she ain’t sweatin’
it. She’s playin’ it cool. Most of all, I like her cause
she ain’t like the rest of these industry bitches who
get a lil’ cash and act as if they can’t be touched.
Fuck ‘em, Khia is real! Keep reppin’ for all the real
bitches out here, Khia, cause I’m one of ‘em and
you speak loud enough for all of us to be heard. - Boss B (Miami, FL)
Thanks for your interview with Akon. He’s a new breed of R&B mixed
with hip-hop and pop. He’s got a crystal-smooth voice that suits any
type of music. Akon’s popularity is spreading all over my neighborhood in
Australia. These new faces in music are gonna make it big. Akon is going
all the way. - Anton, anton111@optusnet.com.au (Australia)
Yo, I’ve got an internet radio station in the Bay area. I’ve been getting
your mags, right on. I don’t really like dirty South music too much but
it’s a pretty good read. I’m lovin’ that article about the pirate radio sta-
tions. The Trick Daddy breakdown about how you had to get at him for
the interview was hot too. A lot of Orlando people have been emailing
me with hate mail cause I’ve got www.95Live.com, but it’s cool. I’m
gonna be on pirate radio out here in the Bay area soon enough. - Sly,
info@95live.com (San Francisco, CA)
I’ve been reading the last few issues of OZONE and that groupie confes-
sions shit is off the wall. I can’t believe these stupid-ass high-profile
rappers are still running around fucking groupie hoes without a condom,
and most of them have wives at home. But I will admit, that shit is funny
and good reading. As long as them hoes keep doing it, OZONE need to
keep exposing they nasty asses! - Melissa (Raleigh, NC)
 “I don’t think DJ Magic Mike (#12) ever got
his credit. He sold millions of records, straight
Putting out an issue called “25 Greatest underground.” - Uncle Luke (#2)
Southern Artists of All Time” is basically an
open invitation to send us hate mail. “Outkast (#4) has been accepted across
the world and are never afraid to reinvent
Selecting the top 25 of anything is a daunting task, themselves. I have a lot of respect for them as
especially when you’re dealing with Southern music fans pioneers. They showed us how to crossover
who are fiercely loyal to their region. I’m quite sure that no and still be respected.” - Pitbull
one will agree 100% with our 25 selections. Florida residents will
be pissed that JT Money/Poison Clan aren’t on the list. Atlanta resi-
dents will argue for Hitman Sammy Sam. If you’re from Louisiana,
“We used to listen to Three 6 Mafia (#7) and
you’re probably wondering why Fiend and Soulja Slim aren’t in the 8Ball & MJG (#6) to get crunk. They paved
top 25. Then, there’s dozens of other artists from Tennessee and the way for crunk music because they were
Texas and other parts of the South who deserve to be recognized. always making records for fools get rowdy in
the club. ” - Lil Jon (#8)
You can never please everyone, but regardless, this issue is a classic. The 25 Greatest theme
was actually MTV’s idea (shouts to Buttahman, Tuma, and Che). Who am I to turn down MTV? “Before I even signed with Swishahouse, I was
In case you skipped over the big-ass ad on the inside cover and went straight to my editorial, jammin’ DJ Screw (#5) tapes. I came up listen-
April 16th & 17th is OZONE’s Dirty South weekend on MTV Jams. They’ll be airing a two-hour ing to UGK (#3) and the Geto Boys (#1).”
special (which will be re-run numerous times) based on this issue. MTV Jams is a brand-new
channel geared towards the urban audience, and it’s nothing but music videos - no commer-
- Mike Jones
cials. If you don’t get the channel already, call your cable provider to request it.
“David Banner (#14) has been real support-
Now, my disclaimer: This is not my list. I repeat, this is not my list. I was wearing diapers ive while I’ve been [incarcerated]. He’s a good
while some of these artists were struggling to get record deals. Geto Boys? 2 Live Crew? 8Ball dude, and a great producer.” - Pimp C (#3)
& MJG? Three 6 Mafia? Magic Mike? Way before my time. I’m 23, y’all. I might be a vet in the
hustling-to-put-out-a-magazine-every-month department, but I’m a rookie when it comes to “I’d put up everything I got in the bank on
Southern music history. That’s why I called on some OG’s like TJ Chapman (TJ’s DJ’s) and FLX Scarface (#1) versus any rapper in the world.
(Dirty States of America DVD) as well as some of our in-house Southern music fanatics (Wally ‘Face is one of the top five rappers, period, not
Sparks, Matt Sonzala) to come up with this list.
just in the South.” - David Banner (#14)
Then, MTV crossed out some of our old-school selections and replaced them with newer, more
commercial artists. Some of you will object to the inclusion of artists like Lil Flip and Petey “Master P (#10) had an empire: No Limit
Pablo in place of a Devin the Dude or a Soulja Slim, and I feel your pain. But MTV made a valid everything. He was an entrepreneur. He owned
point: artists like Lil Flip have crossed over into entirely different markets, exposing new lis- the music industry when his label was at its
teners to Southern music and paving the way for all of us to make more money. peak. Mia X (#23) always spit fire; she held her
own in a camp full of dudes.” - Lil Jon (#8)
So what’s the criteria? What determines if an artist qualifies as “great”? There’s many things
that we took into consideration. How many records have they released? How many records “Without the Geto Boys (#1), people like me
have they sold? How strong is their following? What influence did they have on the artists that
came after them? Especially in Southern music, the line between producers and DJs and art-
wouldn’t even be here. They paved the way for
ists gets blurry. There’s many individuals who have influenced Southern music through their all these rappers.” - Chamillionaire
mixtapes or production (for example, DJ Jelly, Jam Pony Express, Jazze Pha) but haven’t
technically released an album as an artist. There’s also dozens of Southern artists with a lot “Uncle Luke (#2) revolutionized the game. He
of potential who haven’t had the time to prove themselves as “great” yet (almost every artIst distributed his own records; put out whatever
on this list has released three or more full-length albums). the fuck he wanted. He taught muthafuckers
how to go get this money. Everything they’re
So why do they qualify as “great” Southern artists? Scarface and the Geto Boys paved the doing now, he’s done already.” - Pitbull
way for Southern music. Uncle Luke and 2 Live Crew defended our freedom of speech. UGK
has a diehard fan base and is highly respected by every artist on this list. Outkast? One of the
greatest hip-hop groups ever, no question. DJ Screw created a genre. 8Ball & MJG have been
“T.I. (#15) showed that Southern cats have
in the game for years and are still relevant today. Three 6 Mafia laid the foundation for crunk lyrics. He represents the average hood cat and
artists like Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz, who have churned out your favorite club records is able to articulate it in a way the whole world
consistently for the past several years. can understand.” - David Banner (#14)
The Cash Money (Juvenile, Lil Wayne, B.G., etc) and No Limit (Master P, Mystikal, Mia X, etc.) “DJ Screw (#5) didn’t just create a hit record.
eras gave Southern artists the blueprint to turn independent success into major success. Trick He created an art form.” - Michael Watts
Daddy and Pastor Troy showed us how to get crunk, but still brought a deeper message. David
Banner and Petey Pablo put their respective states on the map. Bass music pioneer DJ Magic “Ludacris (#13) has a distinct voice, and he’s
Mike sold millions of records independently, and CC Lemonhead, Jay-Ski, and Thrill da Playa
collectively sold over 60 million albums as Quad City DJs, 69 Boyz, and 95 South. Ludacris and
real creative. He came up in radio, so he’s got
T.I. have sold records and proven themselves as great MCs, period. Goodie Mob and the Dun- a business mentality. I can listen to Ludacris all
geon Family brought a fresh sound and a conscience to the industry, while artists like Lil Flip day long, that’s why [“Get Back”] is the ring-
and Jermaine Dupri helped Southern music reach the mainstream. tone on my phone.” - Uncle Luke (#2)
I learned a lot of history putting together this issue, so hopefully you will too. “Pimp C and Bun B (#3) are great lyricists
- Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com and dope storytellers, and Pimp C is a dope
producer. Free Pimp C, dammit!” - Lil Jon
Guilty pleasures: B5 “All I Do” & “Lil Jon (#8) took Southern music to the next
Will Smith “Switch” level. He defined the crunk genre and really
kicked the doors open for all of us to make
Mario f/ Jadakiss & T.I. “Let Me Love U (remix)” Lil Scrappy “Still Down” money.” - David Banner (#14)
Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, Lil Jon, Nore “Gasolina (remix)” Tori Alamaze “Don’t Cha”
C-Murder f/ B.G. “Y’all Heard of Me” John Legend “Ordinary People” “DJ Screw (#5) was a true artist. He’d paint
YoungBloodz f/ Young Buck “Datz Me” DirtBag “Ladies Love Me” a picture to make you feel a certain way. His
Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz f/ Bohagon “Get Crunk” 50 Cent “Baltimore Love Thing” tapes were relaxing, calming.” - OG Ron C
Pretty Ricky & the Maverix “Grind With Me” Fantasia “Truth Is”

OZONE APR 2005 7

 Words Rohit Loomba

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 25
JERMAINE DUPRI
5 ESSENTIAL JERMAINE DUPRI TRACKS
Jermaine Dupri f/ Jay-Z “Money Ain’t a Thang” Life in 1472 1998
JD teaches everyone about the life of a baller with some help from Jay-Z.

Jermaine Dupri f/ Mariah Carey “Sweetheart” Life in 1472 1998

JD bangs out one for the women with the beautiful Mariah Carey. Jealous, Janet?

Jermaine Dupri f/ Mase & Lil Kim “Get Dealt With” Life in 1472 1998
Mase and JD explain how the women love their cash, while Lil Kim retorts from the
women’s perspective: “Play y’all niggas like dummies / Click-click, Show me the
money!”

Jermaine Dupri “Welcome to Atlanta” Instructions 2001

In addition to encouraging dozens of remixes all across the country, “Welcome to At-
lanta” introduced a new phrase to the hip-hop dictionary: MBP (Most Ballinist Player).

Jermaine Dupri f/ Nate Dogg “Ballin’ Out of Control” Instructions 2001

Continuing to brag about his baller lifestyle, JD borrows from the fairy tales: “Mirror
mirror on the wall / Who’s the biggest baller of all?”

N
o one articulates it better than Jermaine
Dupri himself on his hit single “Money
Ain’t a Thang”: “I make the big moves,
do the big things / Take small groups, turn them
into big names.” This is exactly what JD has
done throughout his career, turning himself and
others into platinum stars.
JD’s father, Atlanta manager Michael Mauldin,
first exposed him to the world of music. As
a child, JD attended studio sessions for his
father’s funk band Brick and began imitating
his father. He could play the drum lines to the
entire Brick catalog by age five. That same year,
JD landed a slot as a dancer for the Fresh Fest
Concert, featuring Run-DMC, Whodini, Grand-
master Flash, and the Fat Boys.
By the time JD began experimenting with pro-
duction, he didn’t have any equipment except a
drum machine. “I would keep all the bass lines
and samples in my head,” he recalls. “When I
got to the studio, I’d just tell somebody to play
it for me.” Five years later, at age fourteen, JD’s
production career truly began when he signed a
contract with Silk Thymes Leather. In 1989 he
formed So So Def Productions. Two years later,
he stumbled into two backwards-jean-wearing
rappers named Kris Kross at a local mall. JD
signed the group and put together their album,
Totally Krossed Out, which soon attained qua-
druple platinum success.
After Kris Kross, JD began producing for rap trio
TLC, who achieved even greater success. TLC’s
first two albums totaled over fifteen million
copies sold. In 1993 and 1994, JD went on to
unveil female R&B quartet Xscape and female
rapper Da Brat. They both went on to achieve
platinum success in a relatively short period
of time, establishing Dupri as one of the
most respected and sought-after R&B pro-
ducers of his time.
Completely immersed in the R&B world,
JD began working with greats such as
Mariah Carey when he became involved
in producing My Way, the sophomore
release from a young singer. In 1996,
Dupri became the first producer to
reach number one on Billboard’s Pop, R&B, and
Rap charts with multiple singles. Applying the
Xscape formula to a male quartet, JD helped
produce and release Jagged Edge’s debut album
JE Heartbreak in 2000, which was certified gold
with hit singles “Promise” and “Let’s Get Mar-
ried.”
With his name already established as a produc-
er, JD released his own album in 1998, Life in
1472. The album boasted appearances by artists
such as Nas, Jay-Z, DMX, Slick Rick, Mariah Car-
ey, Warren G, 8Ball, Lil Kim, and some of JD’s
labelmates. The motivation for releasing the
album was simply for JD to have a platform to
fully display his creativity and artistic expres-
sion. “I didn’t make this album to prove that I
can rhyme with a Nas, a Slick Rick, or a Jay-Z,”
he admitted. Thanks in part to hits like “Money
Ain’t a Thang” and “The Party Continues,” Life
in 1472 went platinum and only added to his
credibility as a talented producer and artist.
Life in 1472 was a party album, featuring JD
rapping about his life of bling over funk-laded,
head-bob-inducing beats. JD didn’t bother get-
ting personal on the album, sticking to tales of
cars, homes, and jewelry. Not only did JD come
strong on the production end, but he brought
the same strength as a rapper. Joining the ranks
of the dual rapper/producer talents like Dr.
Dre, P. Diddy and RZA, JD proved that he could
go toe-to-toe with some of the best rappers in
the game.
JD released his follow-up album, Instructions,
in 2001. His hit single, “Welcome to Atlanta,”
spawned dozens of response records from cit-
ies all over the nation. Three years later, he
released his third solo album, Green Light.
Continuing to work with hip-hop’s most influen-
tial artists, JD has maintained his position as a
legendary producer in the new millennium and
has also established himself as an outstanding
businessman. Formerly housed at Arista and
Jive, Dupri’s imprint So So Def found a new
home at Virgin Records. In 2005, Dupri was
named President of Virgin’s urban music divi-
sion. Currently, he’s working on projects with So
So Def artists like T Waters and Daz Dillinger, as
well as producing for artists like Mariah Carey
and Bow Wow.
Aside from the music industry, Dupri became
co-owner of the Chicago-based 3 Vodka in
2004. He became interested in the product be-
cause of its unique soy distilled taste. “3 Vodka
is representative of what I look for in a brand.
From the inside out, it’s a flawless product,” he
says. JD’s acquisition of 3 Vodka was the begin-
ning of his attempts to broaden his business
interests beyond the music realm, although he
implements the same approach to his beverage
as he does to his music: “My passion for the
brand is similar to my approach with music: su-
periority, uniqueness and perfection must all be
achieved. That’s how I describe 3 Vodka.”
JD plans to open a 24-hour cafe, Def Cafe, in
Atlanta’s Buckhead district, and is also working
on a pilot for a television show similar to Life-
styles of the Rich and Famous. Other projects
are currently underway to build the So So Def
brand, including toy replicas of Da Brat, Bone-
crusher, JD himself, and the Afroman logo.
It is the culmination of all these accomplish-
ments and efforts, both musical and non-musi-
cal, which set JD apart as one of the South’s
most influential artists. With a catalog boasting
several platinum singles and albums, JD has
established himself as a popular producer and
artist who has consistently stayed on the cut-
ting edge of hip-hop. Having worked with some
of hip-hop’s most established artists including
Nas, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, and the Neptunes, JD
is popular with fans and also within the indus-
try. Through his business ventures, JD has firmly
secured his place as a true entrepreneur with
clever marketing schemes. Whether promoting
his So So Def label or wandering into the liquor
business, JD displays a true knack for manag-
ing and maintaining proper investments. He’s
gone above and beyond the label of an artist,
wearing multiple hats - DJ, producer, MC, and
executive - allowing him to take his music to
higher levels than many artists. With a resume
listing greats like Aretha Franklin, Mase, Cam-
ron, and Aaliyah, there’s no doubt that JD is
the real deal.

OZONE APR 2005 9

 Words Julia Beverly

# 24 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

PETEY PABLO
5 ESSENTIAL PETEY PABLO TRACKS
Petey Pablo “Raise Up” Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry 2001
This North Carolina anthem introduced Petey to the world and later prompted an
“all-cities” remix.

Petey Pablo “Fool For Love” Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry 2001
Thugs get lonely too.

Petey Pablo “My Testimony” Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry 2001

A rare glimpse inside the mind of Mr. Freek-A-Leek: “Kidnapped and confined /
Within a system designed / To destroy the innocent child that I used to be.”

Petey Pablo “Freek-A-Leek” Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry 2004

Armed with a killer beat from Lil Jon similar to Usher’s “Yeah!”, “Freek-A-Leek”
ranked #3 on the list of 2004’s biggest hip-hop radio singles. Petey extends an open
invitation to the ladies who like to fuck, provided they “ain’t scared of a big dick.”

Ciara f/ Petey Pablo “Goodies” Goodies 2004

Petey explains how he gets the goodies over another crunk Lil Jon beat.

P
etey Pablo is crazy. Anyone who’s met
him, friend or foe, can vouch for this
statement. But, then again, name a tal-
ented artist who isn’t?
If you’ve been reading OZONE for any length of
time (or any other hip-hop magazine, for that
matter) you’ve heard the story many, many
times: Talented teenager gets caught up in the
street life and goes to prison. After serving his
time, he decides to use his real-life experiences
as the basis for a rap album, hoping to be “dis-
covered” and get a record deal.
Rarely do those stories end on a positive note.
Petey Pablo is one of the few that has success-
fully turned his life around.
Born Moses Barrett in Greensville, North Caro-
lina, his early musical exploits included singing
in the church choir and school chorus. “My
mama always called me Petey,” he says, adding
the surname Pablo in memory of a fallen sol-
dier. In high school, he became enamored with
hip-hop, but the streets were still calling. He
was arrested as a teenager and spent over five
years behind bars (he declines to discuss the
details when asked why he was incarcerated,
answering succinctly, “For breaking the law.”)
Still, he admits, “The experience made me who
I am today.”
Today, he’s a rap star. Not only is he a star, but
he’s somehow bypassed many of the obstacles
that stood in the way of other Southern artists.
He didn’t struggle independently for years,
selling CDs out of the trunk of his car. He got
signed to a major label without ever dropping
a single.
He hates doing interviews, avoids cameras, and
doesn’t show up for radio promos. He accepts
money from major corporations trying to mar-
ket to the hip-hop audience, but not without
attitude (“I gotta give a shoutout to Seagram’s
Gin, cause I drink it, and they’re payin’ me for
it”). While other rappers strive for the spotlight
and spend time developing relationships with
DJs, producers, and other artists, Petey simply
doesn’t give a fuck.
So how does he do it? Why is Petey Pablo a star?
Perhaps it’s because he consistently drops hits.
He uses his God-given talent to create songs.
We’ll forgive him for the pathetic “Blow Your
Whistle” and instead focus on bangers like
“Raise Up,” “Freek-A-Leek,” and “Goodies.”
Aside from the commercial hits, he’s also got
spiritual songs. Petey Pablo is one of the few
artists who can discuss God and fucking in the
same sentence without it coming across as a
contradiction, probably because he sincerely
believes in both:
“Freek-A-Leek:”
Do you want it in ya pussy? Do you want it in
ya ass?
I’ll give you anything you can handle!
“My Testimony”:
My tears would soak the pages I write upon
If I couldn’t close the windows to my soul
and stand strong in the midst of these storms
“Fool For Love”:
I got caught up in something worse than drugs
I’m a motherfuckin’ fool for love
While incarcerated, Petey practiced freestyl-
ing. He went to New York as soon as he got
released, virtually penniless and homeless. He
befriended Black Rob at a New York city night-
club, who gave him a place to crash. Rob fea-
tured Petey on the remix to his single “Whoa,”
one of the hottest tracks out at the time. Along
with Black Rob, Petey met other rappers who
vouched for his skills, such as Missy Elliott and
Busta Rhymes.
Soon enough, Petey did get “discovered.”
“We were in the [club] bathroom rhymin’ and
freestylin’ and Jive’s head A&R [David Lighty]
walked in the bathroom,” he remembers.
“It was me, [Black] Rob, and Doug E. Fresh.
[Lighty] asked me if I was signed, and I was like,
‘Nah.’ He told me, ‘Come over to Jive and we’ll
give you everything you want.’”
Jive arranged for Petey to be featured on label-
mate Mystikal’s album, and hooked him up with
Timbaland to record for his debut. The Timbo-
produced “Raise Up” was an instant success.
Petey’s grimy hook single-handedly put the
Carolinas on the hip-hop map, and before his
album even dropped, Petey Pablo was a house-
hold name. Jive released his debut album, Di-
ary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, in 2001, which nearly
reached platinum status.
After the hype surrounding “Raise Up” died
down, Petey appeared on a few regional hits
like Lil Jon’s “Rep Yo City,” but appeared des-
tined for one-hit-wonderland. As Jive prepared
to release his follow-up album, Still Writing in
My Diary: 2nd Entry, the lukewarm response
to his lead single “Blow Your Whistle” put the
album on hold.
Petey stumbled onto a hit in 2004 while skim-
ming through Lil Jon tracks that had previously
been given to Jive for Mystikal’s album. He
recorded “Freek-A-Leek,” which was leaked
to radio almost instantly and became nearly
an overnight sensation. The success of Usher’s
“Yeah!”, which was derived from the same Lil
Jon beat, only helped resurrect Petey’s career.
“Freek-A-Leek” was eventually remixed with
guest appearances from Twista and Jermaine
Dupri, and the enormous success of the song at
radio prompted Jive to release his sophomore
album. Alongside “Freek-A-Leek,” Still Writing
In my Diary: 2nd Entry also contained thought-
ful tracks like “He Spoke to Me.”
The label recruited Petey to drop 16 bars for
female Jive artists Ciara and Rasheeda, which
helped keep him in the spotlight for the rest
of 2004. Although “Freek-A-Leek”’s subject
matter wasn’t typical of Petey’s music, Uncle
Luke christened him as the official torch-
bearer for fuck songs.
Disgruntled with Jive’s treatment of his
career, Petey found a kindred spirit in an
unlikely place: Suge Knight. Proclaiming
himself the newest member of Death
Row, Petey’s next career move is one
big question mark. If all else fails, he
can always record another hit.

10 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Julia Beverly / Photo J Lash

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 23
MIA X
5 ESSENTIAL MIA X TRACKS
Master P f/ Mia X “Bout It, Bout It Pt. 2” Ice Cream Man 1996
Mia X spits fire on the ghetto “national anthem.”

Mia X f/ TRU & Mystikal “You Don’t Wanna Go 2 War” Unlady Like 1997
Mama Mia trades verses with the TRU boys and the newest No Limit recruit, Mysti-
kal, over this KLC classic.

Mia X f/ Master P & Foxy Brown “Party Don’t Stop” Unlady Like 1997
Before “Make Em Say Uhh,” this was the first No Limit record to get consistent
radio play nationwide. Pairing up Foxy Brown and Mia X was a stroke of marketing
genius.

TRU f/ Mia X “Freak Hoes” TRU 2 Da Game 1997

After TRU drops three verses telling women to bend over and touch their toes on
this Southern strip club classic, Mia X crashes the testosterone party and reminds
the ladies: If you’re gonna do what they’re asking, make sure you get that money!

TRU f/ Mia X “No Limit Soldiers” TRU 2 Da Game 1997

A
t a time when Foxy Brown and Lil Kim
were battling for female dominance in the
rap game, Mia X made history as one of the
first female rappers in the South to get national
exposure. The world was first introduced to Mia
X in the mid-90’s through her appearances on No
Limit party anthems like “Bout It, Bout It Pt. 2”
and “Party Don’t Stop.” But her rap career had
actually begun a decade earlier, when she was
still a young teenager.
In 1984, Mia was recruited for a five-member
rap group which also included a young Mannie
Fresh. Founded by a Queens native, the group
was called New York Incorporated and brought
the sounds of the East coast to New Orleans.
Their Southern-flavored rhymes over East coast
breakbeats was a formula for success. Within a
short period of time, New York Incorporated was
getting paid to open shows for popular 80’s acts
like Jekyll & Hyde and Kool Mo Dee. By age 14,
Mia X was a “professional” rapper.
In 1986, New York Incorporated officially dis-
banded. Although many rap groups dissolve
due to internal conflict, creative differences,
or financial mismanagement, their reason was
much simpler. They needed to “concentrate on
high school.”
Mannie Fresh and Mia X were a year apart in
school, and they graduated in ‘87 and ‘88, re-
spectively. Mannie was gaining a reputation as
a DJ around New Orleans. After graduation, Mia
had a baby and dropped out of the music scene.
For many female artists, childbirth spells the
end of their career. But for Mia, it was just
the beginning. “[Pursuing a rap career] with
a baby wasn’t as difficult as you might think,
because I had a strong support system,” Mia
X recalls. “My mother was in my corner 100%
and she knew rap wasn’t something I was
just playin’ with.”
After a brief hiatus to adjust to mother-
hood, Mia released an indie album called
The Payback in 1992. The response
proved that New Orleans rap fans hadn’t
forgotten about Mia X. She sold over
77,000 copies with no marketing, no
promotions, no radio play, no videos. She spent
the next several years performing throughout
the South and promoting the record. “I put out
The Payback with an old friend who was based
in New Orleans,” Mia recalls. “We were actually
making copies of the tape ourselves. We’d be
dubbing two or three tapes at a time and selling
them out of the trunk. Once we got a barcode,
we got a lil’ distribution deal and put it in Texas
and Florida. Things took off from there.”
At the time, groups like Salt-N-Pepa were mov-
ing over 2 million units, so Mia didn’t grasp
magnitude of her accomplishment. “I didn’t
realize how big it was until I looked at it from a
monetary standpoint,” she says. Most of the ma-
jor labels weren’t aware of Mia’s underground
success, but a few did approach her. With the
money that she was making independently and
her regional fame, she was comfortable finan-
cially and didn’t see any reason to sign with a
major. Plus, she didn’t feel that she was ready.
“I was trying to develop my sound,” she says. “I
wanted to be the total package lyrically.”
In addition to developing her rap skills, Mia was
active in the New Orleans community as a mo-
tivational speaker and mentor. She began work-
ing with the school board and various homes for
battered women, sharing her own experiences
and providing hope for women and children who
had none. The more active she became in the
community, the less focused she was on pursu-
ing her rap career. “I didn’t really go to the
clubs much, but you could definitely find me at
an educational function or a battered womens’
event. Any event that pertained to helping our
city, you’d see me there,” she says.
In late 1994, Mia X met a young entrepreneur
named Percy Miller. He’d heard her record and
was looking for a female rapper to add to his
roster. Although several independent labels had
already tried to sign Mia, something made her
take Percy - a.k.a. Master P - seriously. “Most of
the [label owners] I had come in contact with
just wanted to say they had a label, and they
weren’t really hustlin’. Something in [Master]
P’s eyes let me know that he was very serious
about turning his label into something big.”
Master P’s label, No Limit, did become “some-
thing big.” Something huge, in fact. And Mia X
played a key role. Virtually every hit that put
No Limit on the map featured a blazing verse
from the Mama Mia herself: “No Limit Sol-
diers,” “Make ‘Em Say Uhhh,” and many other
songs that defined the No Limit era.
While No Limit was putting New Orleans on the
map, there were rumors of beef between the
camp and another New Orleans-based power-
house: Cash Money. Mia, who had maintained a
friendship with Mannie Fresh and considers Bri-
an “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams
as brothers, never saw it that way. “I didn’t re-
ally feed into what the media was saying about
Cash Money and No Limit, cause personally, I
never saw any beef.” Her stint with No Limit
ultimately came to an end in 1998, and they
attempted to reunite in 2001 but the “business
wasn’t straight.”
Even to this day, Mia X rarely receives the credit
she deserves. At the time of No Limit’s success,
many hip-hop fans considered Southern rap
music to be a gimmick and didn’t take her
seriously as a lyricist. Plus, she adds, “Image is
everything for sisters. [The female artists] were
half-nekkid and shit, and I was one of the plus-
size girls.” Mia X’s filthy mouth, no-nonsense
attitude, and “sassiness can be heard in the
music of many up-and-coming female Southern
rappers today: Trina, Jacki-O, Khia, Miss T, and
the Ghetto Twins, for example.
Today, Mia continues her work within the com-
munity, speaking at educational events such
as BET’s Rap it Up. “I’ve been [on the road]
with so many men, and I saw so many sisters
put themselves in a position to be just another
verse in a song,” she says. “When I speak to
women, I tell them not to be that next rhyme.
Handle yourself like a lady.”
Representing for the females both on and off
wax, Mia recently formed her own label, Music
Life, and is recording a new album. “I didn’t
get the opportunity to do a lot of collabora-
tions at No Limit,” she says. “I’ve got this indie
freedom now, so I’m spreading my wings.”

OZONE APR 2005 11

 Words Sally Salinas / Photo Julia Beverly

# 22 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

LIL FLIP
5 ESSENTIAL LIL FLIP TRACKS
Lil Flip “Soufside Still Holdin’” The Leprechaun 2000
This was the classic anthem in Cloverland back before anyone outside his hood knew
of Flip’s now-infamous Lucky Charms CD cover.

Lil Flip f/ David Banner, C-Note “What Y’all Wanna Do” Undaground Legend 2002
Over a crunk uptempo beat, Flip and co. taunt the East Coast and let ‘em know how
we do it down South. “We bump that Screw down here, okay?”

Lil Flip “Way We Ball” Undaground Legend 2002

This tale of how players do it in H-Town pushed Flip into the national spotlight.

Lil Flip f/ Lea “Sunshine” U Gotta Feel Me 2004

This mellow laid-back summer jam for the ladies took Flip’s career to all-new
heights.

Lil Flip “Game Over” U Gotta Feel Me 2004

Utilizing a catchy Pac-Man video game sample and crazy hook, Flip declared “Game
Over” and pissed off a certain “skinny rapper” along the way.

T
here’s no question that Lil Flip has made
an impact on the rap game over the past
few years. Although he may not be the
most lyrical MC, rumor has it that the late DJ
Screw once branded him with the impressive
title “The Freestyle King.” He possesses a cer-
tain signature trait that can’t be denied. That
trait is simplicity, and as we all know, simplicity
is the essence of good design. His unique flow
remains unmatched.
Down South, success isn’t measured by who
can write the illest line or who has the hardest
poetry. It’s about money. Long considered the
redhead stepchild of hip-hop, the South has
contributed more to the musical lexicon than
any other region. Just like Houston’s Lightenin’
Hopkins revolutionized the blues back in the
days of the previous generation, artists like Lil’
Flip and his contemporaries in the Screwed Up
Click have revolutionized the way people look
at rap.
And they did it organically. Flip’s career was
built from the ground up by the legendary DJ
Screw. Sold hand-to-hand, Screw’s cassette
tapes full of rap jams slowed down to a syrupy
pace took the region by storm and became an
underground sensation. Screw music may be
new to those who came up outside of the Texas
borders, but for folks in the bowels of the dirty
South, those slowed-down beats have been a
dominating force for years. If you were featured
rapping on a Screw tape, you were guaranteed
ghetto gold before even releasing a CD.
Enter Lil Flip, a teenage prodigy with a penchant
for freestyling and an A-1 business partner. Un-
der the direction of Houston legend Hump, Flip
first entered the scene in 1999 with his group,
H$E, but it was his solo debut, The Leprechaun,
that pushed him over the top. His single “I Can
Do It” was a smash in Texas and pushed the re-
cord sales to over 180,000 (technically, it was a
double CD, so 90,000 copies counts as 180,000).
Regardless, the sales numbers were impressive
for an independent artist.
With his Lucky Charms cereal box styled cover,
complete with Lil Flip actually dressed as a Lep-
rechaun (a tribute to his neighborhood, Clover-
land), outsiders would have never guessed that
this man was about to become one of the big-
gest sellers in Southern rap history. However, his
fans and friends from the massive metropolis of
H-Town knew that Flip was something special.
In the time between the independent release
of The Leprechaun and his major label debut
Undaground Legend, Flip and co. dropped over
twenty mix CDs jampacked with flows and free-
styles from the man himself over other people’s
beats. Some of these discs sold over 20,000 cop-
ies, and as the majors began to take notice, Lil
Flip became a household name in the South.
Eventually Flip signed with Loud Records, then
transferred directly to the parent company
Sony when Loud folded. With the help of the
mega-hit “Way We Ball,” Undaground Legend
went platinum. Flip was also featured on David
Banner’s breakthrough single, “Like a Pimp,”
helping to turn all industry eyes on Houston for
the first time since the Geto Boys’ early days.
2004 saw the release of Flip’s third double disc,
U Gotta Feel Me, produced mostly by Dallas
legends Play-N-Skillz. The hit single, “Game
Over,” produced by Nick Fury, almost never
happened because Flip originally objected
to the use of the classic Pac Man video game
sounds in the track. Mr. Mixx of 2 Live Crew had
used the same sample less than a year earlier
for the Houston hit “This is For My...” which also
featured Slim Thug, T2, and Flip’s arch nemesis,
ESG. Fortunately, Flip decided to use the beat
for “Game Over,” and the song took him plati-
num once again.
After “Game Over,” Flip released the radio-
friendly “Sunshine,” featuring Lea. Despite the
inclusion of questionable lines like “I’ll treat
you like milk, I’ll do nothing but spoil you,” the
song was a massive success and helped Flip’s
career crossover into a whole new audience.
Soon, he was appearing on remixes with com-
mercially successful artists like Beyonce.
With the success of U Gotta Feel Me, he was
able to tour the world to promote the record,
setting Lil Flip apart from his Houston con-
temporaries. He’s one of the only rap artists
from his city who’s ever had the opportunity to
perform outside the United States. While other
Houston artists like K-Rino, 5th Ward Boyz and
Slim Thug have performed spot dates outside
the U.S., Flip entertained crowds in London,
Amsterdam, Paris, and Toronto on his own.
Even with his career thriving commercially, Lil
Flip’s beef with T.I. in late 2004 threatened
his street credibility. An incarcerated T.I.
heard that Flip had been performing at shows
in Atlanta and challenging T.I.’s claim to the
Southern throne. Whether the allegations were
true or not, immediately upon his release, T.I.
made it his mission to destroy Flip’s career with
a highly publicized diss at Hot 107.9’s annual
Birthday Bash and a scathing mix CD.
Although rumors are flying about a recent al-
tercation that reportedly occurred between T.I.
and Lil Flip in Cloverland, Flip seems to have
weathered the storm successfully. And, as they
say, any publicity is good publicity. Flip has also
ventured into other industries, releasing his
own liquor (Lucky Nites) and signing a shoe deal
with Diadora.
Bringing the style and sound of Houston to a
mainstream audience, it could be argued that
Flip is partially responsible for the current
wave of Texas artists on their way to national
success (Slim Thug, Mike Jones, PaulWall). As
one of the first in his region to put up impres-
sive sales numbers without the boost of a major
label, artists like Flip opened the floodgates
for Houston’s thriving underground market to
expand into the mainstream.
Having broken off from the label that took
him to Sony and helped mold him as an art-
ist, in the past year Flip has truly stepped
out on his own. His new label, Clover
G’s, features the Botany Boys and other
friends from his Cloverland neighbor-
hood. The group is poised for success,
and while this Undaground Legend has
already accomplished some big things,
he’s still on his way up.

12 OZONE APR 2005

 Words AJ Woodson / Photo Jonathan Mannion

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 21
B.G.
5 ESSENTIAL B.G. TRACKS
B.G. “True Story” True Story 1995
Pre-Mannie Fresh, the title cut of his first album set it all in motion for the Baby Gangsta.

B.G. “Get Your Shine On” It’s All On U Vol. 1 & 2 1997
A hot-ass club tune. End of story.

B.G. f/ Big Tymers & Hot Boys “Bling Bling” Chopper City in the Ghetto 1999
B.G.’s most well-known single became hip-hop vernacular. The term “bling-bling”
has been thrown around by everyone from Paris Hilton to Jay-Z, so much so that the
Oxford English dictionary has now recognized and added the terminology.

B.G. “Cash Money Is An Army” Chopper City in the Ghetto 1999

On this track, B.G. truly began to blossom as an MC, and Mannie Fresh perfected his
patented style.

B.G. “With Tha B.G.” Chopper City in the Ghetto 1999

B.G. shines on this mellow autobiographical joint spiked with intricate twists. The
track highlights his seemingly nonchalant flow and distinctive nasal drawl.

L
et me paint you a quick picture. You sign
to New Orleans-based independent label
Cash Money Records at the age of eleven,
when most of your peers are just trying to deal
with puberty. You’re on a road to destruction,
keeping yourself occupied by stealing cars and
doing things that would break your mama’s
heart. Getting offered a record deal at such an
early age was probably the best and worst thing
that could’ve happened to you.
The record deal gives you a much-needed out-
let to express yourself and tell your story, but
you’re also exposed to a lifestyle of fast cash,
loose women, and drugs that has beat down and
totally destroyed many artists twice your age.
You release six solo albums before your 18th
birthday. Your debut, True Story, is a semi-au-
tobiographical account of your coming-of-age
in the poverty-ridden streets of uptown New
Orleans.
Over the next five years, you release an album
each year, including one as a member of the
Hot Boys. By the time you turn 18, your label
has finally signed a major distribution deal with
Universal Records.
Your first nationally-distributed album, Chopper
City in the Ghetto, debuts at number nine on
the Billboard Top 200. Your single, “Bling Bling,”
becomes a street anthem and before you know
it, blows up nationally.
Then, the business begins to destroy your per-
ception of the “family” you thought you were
a part of. Those who you looked up to and
thought had ya back weren’t breakin’ you off
with ya skrilla the way they were supposed to.
You’re barely 21, and already experiencing
the hip-hop equivalent of a mid-life crisis.
You left mom’s crib at just 14.
You step away from the cats you used to
be down with, the cats you used to rock
stages with. Now you’re standing on
lonely stages without your crew and go-
ing for dolo. You start to feel isolated,
kinda like Ice Cube probably did when
he quit N.W.A.
Many artists who have experienced far less
haven’t survived. They’ve disappeared in this
what-have-you-done-lately business of hip-hop.
But somehow, you maintain. Your fans continue
to support you. The streets continue to em-
brace you. You show the whole world that there
is, in fact, life after Cash Money.
Before, others were handling your business,
and all you had to do was pick up a mic. The
only thing you had to worry about was writ-
ing rhymes and rocking the mic. Now, you’re
basically starting over. You have to pick up the
pieces and build your own empire. Now, you’re
the H.N.I.C., and mad heads are depending on
you to sign their check.
You started in this business as a kid, and now
you have a kid. Sounds like a great plot in a
book, or a screenplay for movie-of-the-week.
But it’s not fiction, it’s the life and times of
the Hot Boy alumni. There’s a reason why he’s
called B.G.: Baby Gangsta.
“I’m more in control now,” says B.G. “It’s me,
it’s my operation. Back then I was just an art-
ist and I didn’t know what was going on. Now,
I’m an artist and a CEO. I’m more in the loop
of what’s goin’ on. Before I was just working.
Whatever they’d tell me to do, I did, because
I thought we were a family. But at the same
time, they was pimpin’ a nigga on some slick
shit. I was signed to people I thought was fam-
ily. Now I know that it’s 90% business, 10% tal-
ent. You could be the coldest nigga out, but if
ya business ain’t on point, you won’t make it.
Nowadays, I’ve got my business right.”
Unfortunately, getting his business right meant
parting ways with his rhyming partners Lil
Wayne, Juvenile, and Turk. Juvenile and Turk
also departed from Cash Money, and as Lil
Wayne grows older and gains more indepen-
dence, fans are still hoping that a Hot Boys
reunion album is possible.
You can’t talk about the greatest Southern
artists without mentioning his name. B.G. was
certainly one of the most prolific teenagers in
music history, not just in hip-hop. “That makes
a nigga feel real good,” beams B.G. “They’ve
got some great artists in the South, so to be
considered one of the greatest by OZONE
Magazine makes a nigga feel real good about
himself, fa’ sure.”
B.G. just turned 25, and he’s already 12 years
deep in the business. He’s released nine solo
albums to date, plus two more albums with the
Hot Boys. He’s recorded enough collaborations
to fill five CDs, and he’s also got a rap sheet
that’s almost as long as his string of hits. One
thing you can’t deny is that B-Gizzle truly quali-
fies as The Heart Of The Streetz, as the title
of his upcoming independently released album
implies.
He’s overcome poverty, a rough childhood, a
bad record deal, incarceration, drug addic-
tion, and much more. The fact that B.G. is still
producing hits nearly a decade after he first
dropped as a teenager is a testament to his
musical abilities.
He went from being an eleven-year old
troublemaker to the originator of the term
“bling-bling.” Today, the phrase has become
symbolic of the entire Cash Money movement.
“Bling bling” is used by clueless newscasters
and journalists across the country to describe
anything hip-hop related. The phrase was even
added to the dictionary. How many rappers can
say they’re responsible for additions to the
dictionary?
B.G. knows that the story of his life would be
a great screenplay for a dramatic movie, and
that’s exactly what he plans to do with his
experiences. Look out for the DVD of his life,
coming soon. It’ll cover everything he’s been
through in life thus far.
“I’m not ashamed of my past,” says B.G. “I’m a
real nigga. The shit I’ve been through has made
me the man I am today.” He’s currently finish-
ing up his label Chopper City’s three-album
deal with distributor Koch Records and prepar-
ing to renegotiate for future releases. Over the
years B.G. has proved he has staying power and
the skills to pay the bills.

OZONE APR 2005 13

 Words Dove

# 20 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

69 BOYZ/QUAD CITY/95 SOUTH

5 ESSENTIAL 69 BOYZ/QUAD CITY/95 SOUTH TRACKS
95 South “Whoot There It Is” Quad City Knock 1993
This single sold over three million copies worldwide, making 95 South a household
name nearly overnight.

69 Boyz “Tootsee Roll” Nineteen Ninety Quad 1994

America’s new love affair with booty music grew as this double-platinum single was
awarded Best Rap Single at the 1994 Billboard Awards.

Quad City “C’Mon ‘N Ride It (The Train)” Get On Up & Dance 1996
With moves rivaling Atlanta’s Bankhead bounce, the “train” kept people’s arms
happy on the dance floor.

Quad City “Space Jam” Space Jam Soundtrack 1996

The lead single for Michael Jordan’s partially animated film introduced Quad City to
a whole new audience.

69 Boyz “Woof Woof” The Wait is Over 1998

Above: 69 Boyz This song also landed on the soundtrack for Eddie Murphy’s remake of Dr. Doolittle.
Inset: Jay-Ski and Thrill da Playa

W
hen high school friends Nathaniel
“CC Lemonhead” Orange and Johnny
“Jay-Ski” McGowan teamed up in their
hometown of Jacksonville, Florida to do some
production work in the early 90’s, they never
imagined how far their talent could take them.
They were instrumental in creating a new genre
of vibrant bass music, appropriately called
“booty music” for its ability to get the ladies on
the dance floor.
The budding beatmakers created their own
company, CeeJai Productions. They formed a
group, The S.W.A.T. Team, up with other long-
time friends, former high school football star
Albert “Thrill da Playa” Van Bryant and Mike
Mike. The foursome worked together on 95
South’s Quad City Knock, writing and producing
the group’s debut in 1993. The triple-platinum
hit “Whoot There it Is” catapulted the group’s
album into Billboard’s Top 20 R&B Charts. Their
success put Jacksonville (commonly known as
Duuuuval) onto the proverbial map.
In 1993, CC released his solo album Bass to
Another Level, calling upon Thrill once again
to lay down some vocals. Thrill da Playa and
Mike Mike formed the group 69 Boyz with Barry
“Fast” Wright and Greg “Slow” Thomas, bring-
ing CC Lemonhead and Jay-Ski into the fold
for the 1994 platinum album Nineteen Ninety
Quad. The project contained the monumental
hit “Tootsee Roll,” a club favorite which soon
became a double-platinum mainstream cross-
over sensation. The song garnered the group
a Billboard Award for Best Rap Single in 1994
and was a nightclub staple for several years. In
addition to hitting the #1 spot on the Billboard
Rap chart in 1994, the single rested in the Top
10 on both the R&B and Hot 100 charts for an
astounding 38 weeks in early 1995.
Without the impact of any major label machine
behind them, they were still achieving major
success. As the “booty” movement exploded
throughout the South with groups like Poison
Clan, Splack Pack, and Gucci Crew II pushing
out hot tracks, Thrill da Playa and his cohorts
were focusing on how they could create an
industry that didn’t exist. Guerilla street team
tactics were their method for pushing the group
beyond the Jacksonville area. “[We were] one
of the first crews to actually go out and attack
a lot of these large events, like Spring break
and Freaknik,” Thrill recalls. “We would take
teams of 20-30 people, but our approach was
so different at the time. We wanted to stay
true to our market, but there was no industry
in Jacksonville. We had to go out and bring the
industry back home. We were competing with
Bad Boy and Death Row, and right there at the
top of the charts was the 69 Boyz - outlasting
the Notorious B.I.G. on the Rap charts in our
position at number one.”
The movement continued in 1995 with 95
South’s One Mo’ Gen LP and CC Lemonhead’s
solo album Prep. Major labels could no longer
deny the force. Atlantic Records released
Quad City’s Get On Up and Dance in 1996, and
the first single “C’Mon ‘N Ride It (The Train)”
proved to be yet another successful platinum
club hit blessed by CC, Jay-Ski, and Thrill’s
creativity. With some money and promotional
support, Quad City contributed the title track
for the Space Jam soundtrack and rounded out
1996 with their platinum All Star Christmas.
Thrill da Playa contends that the foundation
they laid independently was the most critical
factor in their success. “We had our highs, we
had our lows, but I think [because of] the hands-
on experience, everybody today from our crew
owns their publishing. We’re still doing music,
and we have our own independent businesses
based off that opportunity. The fact that ev-
erybody who worked on the record then is still
eating from that record today is something that
a lot of crews can’t say.”
69 Boyz emerged once again on Atlantic Records
with “Woof Woof” in 1998, which appeared on
their album The Wait is Over as well as the Dr
Doolittle soundtrack. Thrill da Playa ventured
out on his own in 1999 for The Very Best of
Home Bass album, and 95 South released Tight-
work 3000 (without the participation of CC
Lemonhead or Jay-Ski) on RCA Records in 2000.
Meanwhile, Jay-Ski was in the studio with Luke
preparing the infamous project Luke’s Freak
Fest, a collaborative effort that included con-
tributions from Big Pun and the Terror Squad,
Krayzie Bone, and Goodie Mob. In 2001, 69 Boyz
released Trunk Funk 101, and Thrill da Playa
pushed out Dunks N D’s followed by The Return
of the Big Bronco in the same year.
In continuation of the legacy, Thrill released
Broamz, Chrome, and Redbones in 2003. While
the booty bass scene quieted down, crunk mu-
sic began to take over. The new sound of crunk
brought together the best of the old and the
new, preparing longtime fans for the release
of Thrill’s upcoming album. The Sounds of My
Impala features artists such as T.I. the Ying
Yang Twins, Field Mob, and Jacki-O. Thrill cur-
rently hosts his own Ghetto Fabulous Live radio
show on Tallahassee’s 100.7 The Beat, and has
received several honors and awards for his con-
tributions to the scene. He also produces the
annual Ghetto Fabulous Live awards, recogniz-
ing artists and business people who continue to
elevate the music scene in the Southeast.
With the single “Tootsee Roll” noted as the sec-
ond-longest running single in the history of Bill-
board, collective international sales of over 60
million units (Thrill da Playa and 69 Boyz alone
accounting for over 35 million of those sales),
two Grammy nominations, eight Soul Train
Award nominations, six Billboard Music Award
nominations, and a Source Award nomination,
there’s no denying the impact that the Quad
City family has had on the music industry.
While their legacy in Southern music will never
be forgotten, all of the individuals involved
with the success of 95 South, Quad City DJs,
and 69 Boyz have grown up and moved into
new phases of their lives for better or worse,
and there’s plenty of rumors floating around
about the worse. “It’s important to under-
stand that the music industry - and life in
general - takes its toll on people,” says
Thrill. “The main thing is that we came
together as a business, and we worked
together as a family. Today the strongest
support we could have for anyone going
through struggles in the business is to
always highlight the good things.”

14 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Maurice Garland / Photo ShannonMCC.com

# 19
(l to r) Big Gipp, Cee-Lo, Khujo, and T-Mo

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

GOODIE MOB
5 ESSENTIAL GOODIE MOB TRACKS
Outkast f/ Cee-Lo and Big Gipp “Git Up, Git Out”
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik 1993
Cee-Lo and Gipp helped Outkast create one of the most motivating songs in hip-
hop.

Goodie Mob “Cell Therapy” Soul Food 1995

The truth in this song made you question everything in the United States. The only
thing eerier than the beats’ piano riff is that many of their predictions came true.

Goodie Mob f/ Big Boi and Cool Breeze “Dirty South” Soul Food 1995
You can’t blame Goodie Mob for coining this term, which has now become a tired
cliche everyone in the country uses to describe the Southeast region.

Goodie Mob “Beautiful Skin” Still Standing 1998

This much-needed ode to the black woman wasn’t as lovey-dovey as LL’s “I Need
Love,” but still as strong as Pac’s “Dear Mama.”

Goodie Mob “They Don’t Dance No Mo’” Still Standing 1998

W
hen Goodie Mob (Robert “T-Mo” Bar-
netet, Willie “Khujo” Knighton, Cam-
eron “Big Gipp” Gipp and Thomas “Cee-
Lo” Calloway) crept onto the scene in 1995,
hip-hop was in desperate need of something,
well...good. Death Row inmates, Bad Boy, and a
slew of rappers were blurring the line between
Scarface and Al Pacino. Elected officials were
switching their campaign agendas from combat-
ing police brutality to attacking violence and
misogyny in rap lyrics. Public Enemy was out of
the scope, X-Clan was extinct, ‘Pac was having
trust issues and KRS was pretty much the only
One still preaching that we’re all in the same
gang headed for self-destruction.
And then “Cell Therapy” came out. The eerie
one-finger piano plucking beat and conspiracy-
theory lyrics actually had us thinking for a
change. This was the introduction to Goodie
Mob’s debut, Soul Food, one of the most im-
portant hip-hop albums ever. The cover image
of four brothers praying spoke volumes, and the
content held true to its title. The ground-break-
ing effort opened with a prayer (“Free”), con-
tinued with meditations (“Thought Process”),
autobiographies (“Sesame Street”), and soul-
stirring questioning (“I Didn’t Ask to Come”).
The sonic Mother’s Day gift “Guess Who” had
even the hardest thugs kissing their mom when
they got home at night, verses like the ser-
mon Cee-Lo dropped at the end of “Fighting”
changed lives on the spot, while playful songs
like the title track showed that this group of
deep thinkers do like to have fun. But the album
will always and forever be remembered for two
songs: “Goodie Bag” and “Dirty South.” The
lyrical exercise “Goodie Bag” was originally
a freestyle community radio cipher with fel-
low newcomers The Roots. “Dirty South” was
intended to be the soundtrack for Atlanta’s
shady South side, but was embraced by the
entire region.
The G-Mo-B was tatted up, unshaven
with mouths full of gold. They showed
the world that you could be conscious
without the crocheted coifs, and spiri-
tual without the gaudy Jesus pieces
hanging from iced-out medallions. Most of all,
they showed that it was okay to be yourself in
and out of the booth. You could still see Khujo
or Cee-Lo posted at Greenbriar Mall during
Freaknik, Big Gipp chillin’ at the Braves game
on the weekend, or T-Mo standing in line at The
Beautiful restaurant. They never changed, but
the same couldn’t be said about their music.
Initially, Goodie supporters were caught off-
guard with the bow-throwing single “They
Don’t Dance (No Mo’),” not knowing what to
expect from the upcoming album Still Standing.
Did they sell out? Did they crumble to the critics
and sale-driven record execs? Are they trying to
appease radio? No. Not really. And hell naw!
Just like its predecessor, Still Standing opened
with Cee-Lo’s voice. But this time, he wasn’t
praying. He was kind of angry, letting us know
the difference between blacks and niggas. This
was followed with “Black Ice,” the definitive
Dungeon Family track. Bass-driven beat, off-
kilter hook (“Sky hiiiigh, sky hiiiigh”), coded
lyrics and an appearance from Big and ‘Dre.
It was 1998 and the Southeast, particularly At-
lanta, was becoming the place to live. Goodie
spoke for those who didn’t have a voice on “Fly
Away,” reminding you, When in Rome, do as the
Romans do...or get your ass beat.
Overall, their sophomore effort brought more
exposure. Nail and hair salons were blasting
the woman-appreciating “Beautiful Skin.” The
title track had brothers on lockdown flooding
LaFace’s offices with letters. Cee-Lo’s verse
on “I Refuse Limitation” was featured as a
hip-hop quotable in The Source, and Khujo’s
unique style won respect from hip-hop heads.
Gipp entered celebrity status when he married
soul singer Joi. Even though Still Standing was a
slept-on album, it still provided a much-needed
safe haven for the civilians caught up in the No
Limit Soldiers’ 1998 reign of terror.
As 1999 began to wind down, “Chain Swang”
had already leaked to radio and people were
wondering what Goodie was up to. The pressure
from critics, label execs and radio finally pen-
etrated the Mob’s walls. The commercialized
first single “Get Rich to This” got more radio
spins than any of Goodie’s prior singles, but
blatant attempts at pop success like “Ghetto
Enuff” were too much to bear. Released at the
end of 1999, the injured racehorse that was
World Party was taken out to the woods and
shot before the Spring even hit.
Within most groups, creative differences and a
lackluster album will cause divide amongst its
creators. Goode Mob was no exception. After
having a dominating presence on the Dungeon
Family compilation Even in Darkness, Goodie
Mob broke up. Solo success was moderate at
best. T-Mo’s T-Mo to the Fullest is still collecting
dust, Khujo’s The Man Not the Dog was avoided
like the plague, Gipp’s Mutant Mindframe
made a little noise (emphasis on the “little”),
and Cee-Lo’s two albums Cee-Lo Green and His
Perfect Imperfections and Cee-Lo Green is the
Soul Machine blossomed the brain but barely
busted a grape at the sales register.
Realizing that a fist is stronger than a finger,
Goodie tried to get back together. After harsh
words and miscommunications, the supposed
reunion One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show hap-
pened sans Cee-Lo. The album did achieve
the conscious/commercial balance that World
Party fumbled, however, that one missing mon-
key did slow the show down a bit.
Goodie Mob officially disbanded the following
year, but last month reported that the group
was back together - all four of them. It’s hard
to tell if their reunion can have the same effect
as their introduction ten years ago, but then
again, today’s rap climate is pretty much the
same. Rappers are still emulating Tony Mon-
tana, civic leaders are calling for radio and
television boycotts of rap music. For the mo-
ment, politics and spirituality are in style.
Goodie Mob has stood the test of time. They’ve
survived breakups and the amputation of
Khujo’s right leg after a car accident. They’ve
boldly stepped out of Outkast’s looming shadow
(a feat no other Dungeon Family artist has ac-
complished) and earned their position as one of
the greatest groups to come out of the South.

OZONE APR 2005 15

 Words Dove / Photo Raandu Avion (R.I.P.)

# 18 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

LIL WAYNE
5 ESSENTIAL LIL WAYNE TRACKS
Juvenile f/ Lil Wayne “Run For It” 400 Degreez 1998
Even though some people might have mistaken the hook for “Run Forrest, run,” it
was Lil Wayne’s remarkable cameo that earned him a strong buzz.

Lil Wayne “The Block is Hot” The Block is Hot 1999

The title track from the 16-year-old’s first solo album brought him to the forefront of
Southern lyricists. Critics took notice of his abilities.

Lil Wayne “Get Off the Corner” Lights Out 2000

Still a teen, the bouncing cadence of Lil Wayne’s rhymes solidified his star potential.

Lil Wayne “Way of Life” 500 Degreez 2002

Setting aside some of his youthful angst for a grown and sexy vibe, Wayen teamed up
with the Big Tymers and R&B pretty boy TQ for this upbeat radio favorite.

Lil Wayne “Go DJ” Tha Carter 2004

The title track from the 16-year-old’s first solo album brought him to the forefront of
Southern lyricists. Critics took notice of his abilities.

L
il Wayne is a rare find in hip-hop - a child
prodigy who has maintained his success
into adulthood. At eleven years old, he
became the youngest artist on the New Orleans-
based Cash Money Records, owned by brothers
Brian “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Wil-
liams. His articulate rapid-fire flow and exuber-
ant personality set him apart from the pack of
emerging Southern artists in the early 90s, and
he received accolades for his lyrical gifts from
the time he spit his first verse.
Still going through puberty, he made his record-
ing debut on B.G.’s first EP, True Story, in 1993,
ripping the mic with a ferocity that earned him
instant respect. He appeared again on the 1997
Hot Boys album Get It How U Live It, and en-
joyed the independent success that followed.
The Hot Boys crew consisted of Lil Wayne, Ju-
venile, B.G., and Young Turk. They pushed over
400,000 copies without any national promotion,
putting Cash Money in a position to barter a
major distribution deal with Universal Records
under the guidance of independent consultant
Wendy Day.
In 1998, Wayne sparked lyrical fire once again
on the album How You Love That, a project put
out by the duo of Baby and Slim who dubbed
themselves the Big Tymers. With his popularity
growing in the Southern underground scene, it
was the 1999 release of the Hot Boys second
album, Guerilla Warfare, that brought Lil Wayne
national attention. The Hot Boys reached the
Top 5 on the Billboard Album charts. Cash
Money dropped two more releases back-to-back
in the first half of 1999, Juvenile’s 400 Degreez
and B.G.’s Chopper City in the Ghetto. All eyes
were on the Magnolia Ward clique.
Sadly, while Wayne was awaiting his big break
on the solo tip, his father was shot and killed in
a robbery. Instead of letting it slow him down,
Wayne dug in his heels and poured his focus into
the music.
Lil Wayne released his solo debut, Tha Block is
Hot, in 1999. He was only 16 years old at the
time. It sold over a quarter-million copies in
the first week and debuted at number three on
the charts. The title track “Tha Block is Hot”
was a fan favorite, and people were buzzing
about the teenage sensation as his album went
on to achieve platinum status. The track “Fuck
The World” was dedicated to his deceased fa-
ther, and the world soon found out that young
Wayne was already a father himself. Despite
his personal setbacks and life changes, he was
recognized for his talent and received a Source
Award nomination for Best New Artist. The Hot
Boys were awarded Group of the Year at the
same ceremony.
Wayne’s sophomore effort, Lights Out, was re-
leased in 2000. Shortly thereafter, the Hot Boys
were disbanded as Juvenile, B.G. and Turk all
left the Cash Money roster, claiming financial
mismanagement. In 2002 Wayne dropped 500
Degreez, an aggressive assortment of songs that
went over well with fans. He went on to ex-
change back-and-forth lyrical barbs with former
labelmate Juvenile. Maturity won out in the end
and both men ceased their lyrical fire. Juvenile
later came back to Cash Money for a brief time,
but things were never quite the same as they
had been in the beginning.
Following the path of Cash Money moguls Baby
and Slim, Wayne started up his own entertain-
ment company, Young Money Records. He began
working with some up-and-coming talent,
breaking them on mixtapes and doing some
freestyles himself, while steadily working on
his own fourth solo album. Wayne’s advice to
his artists and anyone coming up in the game
is simple: “Keep your head up, and keep your
eyes on your paper. That’s the only thing I’ve
done, and I’m still here,” he asserts. “I’m here
in a great position, so if you’re trying to be
where I’m at or anywhere close to it, that’s
what I did.”
When The Carter was released in 2004, Wayne
had finally reached his 21st birthday. His first
single “Go DJ” customarily went straight to the
top of the charts. He cites the album as his big-
gest career highlight thus far, and has received
praise across the board from critics and fans
alike for his consistency and growth on the
project. He plans to branch out into other en-
trepreneurial endeavors, but music will always
be at the forefront of his being.
Wayne also aims to become a well-rounded
individual, not just a rapper. He’s currently
attending college in Houston, studying Psychol-
ogy. “I feel like I know everything there is to
know about rap,” he explains. “I know what to
say, when to say it, how to say it, how every
beat should sound. Now I wanna know every-
thing there is to know about something else. I
don’t wanna be thirty years old and just know
about rap. I wanna be able to talk to somebody;
sit down and have an hour long conversation
about something besides rap.”
Near the end of 2004 when Jay-Z announced his
new position as President of Def Jam Records,
Lil Wayne stirred up the rumor mill by announc-
ing that he was considering signing with Def
Jam. Def Jam’s interest prompted a bidding
war between several major labels. Ultimately,
it seems that Lil Wayne will remain on Cash
Money Records with Baby, who he now refers
to as his “pa.” As the only remaining member
of the Hot Boys on Cash Money Records, Wayne
is left to carry on the legacy. Although they’re
no longer on the same label, fans still hope to
see a Lil Wayne/Juvenile/B.G./Turk reunion
someday. A promoter in Tampa, Florida boldly
brought Lil Wayne and B.G. both to perform
on the same night, and things ended on a posi-
tive note as the two reunited on stage to the
crowd’s delight.
At a time when most MCs are just getting start-
ed in the music business, Lil Wayne is already
a seasoned vet in every aspect of the game.
Regardless of his acquired business acumen,
he wants people to reflect on and relate to
his art at the end of the day. “When some-
body cuts on a song from me, I want them
to be able to feel everything I’m talking
about,” explains Wayne. “Even if they like
it or don’t like it, I want them to know
exactly what I’m talking about. That’s my
main goal right there. If you know what
I’m talking about then you know me,
because that’s what my music does - it
reflects me.”

16 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Bayer Mack / Photo King Yella

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 17
MYSTIKAL
5 ESSENTIAL MYSTIKAL TRACKS
Mystikal “Here I Go” Mind of Mystikal 1995
You ain’t got to look for a real nigga down South. If you want beef, he’ll let you
know where to find him.

Mystikal “Man Right Chea” Unpredictable 1997

Somebody said you was looking to get your ass whupped again? Well...

Mystikal “Ain’t Gonna See Tomorrow” Let’s Get Ready 2000

There’s more relevant truth contained in this one song than in some rapper’s entire
careers.

Mystikal f/ Outkast “Neck of Da Woods” Let’s Get Ready 2000

Outkast never did a song with Master P, but even they had to acknowledge a legiti-
mate heir to the throne.

Mystikal f/ Nivea “Danger” Let’s Get Ready 2000

One of Mystikal’s most successful commercial singles, he gained a whole new audi-
ence with this hot beat and Nivea-assisted hook.

P
reparation plus opportunity equals suc-
cess. You would be hard pressed to find
another rapper, besides 50 Cent, that
embodies this principle better than Mystikal.
He is the quintessential blue collar artist. Born
deep in the swamps of Louisiana, Michael Tyler
got his start challenging and opening shows for
New Orleans rap pioneers like Warren Mayes,
MC Thick, Sporty T, Gregory D and future Cash
Money Records beat wizard Mannie Fresh.
This growing notoriety led to the release of his
self-titled debut on local indie Big Boy Records
in 1995. While nowhere near a classic, the al-
bum did feature two tracks, “Y’all Ain’t Ready”
and “Not That Nigga,” which foreshadowed the
lyrical bravado that would come to epitomize
Mystikal’s style. Jive was impressed enough
with the burgeoning talent to sign him to a deal,
which was reason to pause in the mid-nineties
because, besides Outkast, there were no South-
ern rappers being signed to major labels.
By the time Jive re-released the record in 1996
as Mind of Mystikal – this version included
the pre-crunk, club riot anthem “Here I Go”
– Mystikal seemed well on his way to living up
to his “Prince of the South” claims. There was
something unique about him. He matched his
witty use of pop culture with a deep underlying
sense of seriousness, like the disturbing track
“Murderer,” a chilling verbal assault on the man
that killed his sister. This made for a distinc-
tive quality not found in any of his Southern rap
contemporaries.
In the city of New Orleans, he was the only rap-
per making noise on a major level. This caught
the attention of Master P, who was looking to
fortify his No Limit Records roster with some-
one other than family members. Mystikal and
fellow Disc Makers alumnus, Fiend, provided
the Tank with just the amount of legitimate
lyrical firepower needed to blitzkrieg the
rap world. By opting to take a support-
ing role to Master P’s ghetto Bill Gates
aspirations, Mystikal laced his pockets
quite handsomely, but found his cre-
ativity stifled by the Colonel’s micro
management.
Mystikal’s first album for No Limit, 1997’s Un-
predictable, was severely bogged down with
guest appearances by labelmates and P’s old
Bay Area cronies, but still managed to produce
a trademark gem in “The Man Right Chea”
– a blistering follow-up to Mind of Mystikal’s
“Here I Go.” The rapper was quickly building a
reputation down South as the soldier you least
wanted to get into a lyrical squab with. While
other rappers ducked warfare to avoid the risk
of exposing their sub par skills, Mystikal was
itching for a fight.
Even so, Mystikal was relegated to session play-
er status in P’s camp. He made guest appear-
ances on the seemingly endless supply of Pen
‘n Pixel-ated product rolling off the No Limit
assembly line and only owned the spotlight on
five of the sixteen tracks on his next release,
1999’s Ghetto Fabulous. Mystikal hadn’t had a
true solo album since 1995. The rap world knew
his name as part of No Limit, but they didn’t
really know him.
Meanwhile, it can be said that Brian and Ronald
Williams of Cash Money Records learned a lot
from No Limit. However, it doesn’t seem that
Master P learned anything from Cash Money.
If he had, he would have noticed that the one
person that always gets paid on time in Baby
and Slim’s camp is Mannie Fresh. Instead, one
of the most active business minds in Hip-Hop
made one of the colossal blunders in rap his-
tory by dissolving No Limit’s relationship with
Beats by the Pound over a reported $50,000
“disagreement.”
While a defiant Master P proclaimed that “a
beat can’t make me,” Mystikal was well aware
the wheels had fallen off the Tank. The depar-
ture of Beats by the Pound, now the Medicine
Men, paved the way for Mystikal’s exit. Now,
instead of having to strike out on his own with
unfamiliar producers, he would have the luxury
of experimenting with new beat makers, like
the Neptunes, while having the comfort of
doing the bulk of his recording with a team he
had grown to know and trust. It was the op-
portunity Mystikal had been preparing for his
whole career.
What resulted was 2000’s breakout smash Let’s
Get Ready.
Everything was set up perfectly. Mystikal had
already established a strong following in rowdy
white tee circles with songs like “Man Right
Chea.” The Neptunes provided two radio-
ready-made-for-MTV singles in “Shake Ya Ass”
and “Danger.” Even comedian Cedric the En-
tertainer was opening his Kings of Comedy sets
with “Here I Go.”
This sizzling mix of street credibility and com-
mercial appeal was thrust upon the unsuspect-
ing public with all the force of a tsunami. Let’s
Get Ready expertly showcased Mystikal’s stun-
ning lyrical acrobatics (“U Would If U Could”),
refreshing creativity (“Family”) and introspec-
tive spiritual analysis (“Ain’t Gonna See Tomor-
row”). Like a well trained professional boxer,
Mystikal exhibited a dazzling array of lyrical
punches and combinations, easily dispatch-
ing foes on “Ready To Rumble” and “I Rock, I
Roll.”
Southern rap royalty, Outkast, even produced
two heaters to seal the win. The summer jam
“Neck Uv Da Woods,” featuring Andre and Big
Boi, cemented Mystikal’s upper echelon status,
while “Braids” subtly jabbed former label No
Limit: “You should’ve known better! Is it cause
I flow better? They kept me in the shade.”
Let’s Get Ready fulfilled all the promise Mys-
tikal demonstrated five years earlier. Still, the
industry was completely caught off guard when
the album sold over 300,000 units in its first
week to take the Number 1 spot on Billboard
from Madonna and hold off platinum boy band
98 Degrees. Eventually selling more than two
million copies, Let’s Get Ready was so popular,
Master P actually claimed he had produced the
disc himself.
2001’s disappointing Tarantula featured the
unimaginative “Pussy Crook.” Mystikal then
began hosting his own Liquid City porn series.
In a dark ironic twist, the rapper was convicted
and sentenced to six years in prison for extor-
tion and sexual battery in 2004.

OZONE APR 2005 17

 Words Keith Kennedy / Photo Michael Blackwell

# 16 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

PASTOR TROY
5 ESSENTIAL PASTOR TROY TRACKS
Pastor Troy “No Mo’ Play in GA” We Ready - I Declare War 1999
The defining track of Troy’s career, this true classic always moves the crowd.

Pastor Troy “Vice Versa” Face Off 2001

Demonstrating Troy’s versatility (“Yeah!”), this record showed that the Pastor can
deliver a pew-shaking sermon (“Yeah!”) to keep the congregation’s attention while
dropping knowledge (“Yeah!”).

Pastor Troy “You Can’t Pimp Me” Universal Soldier 2002

Pastor Troy is no sucker artist hungry for a record deal. After all, before he signed
with a major pimp, he moved 200,000 of his hoes from the truck.

Pastor Troy f/ Ms. Jade “Are We Cuttin’” Universal Soldier 2002

Troy showed his versatility on this hard Timbaland track.

Lil Jon f/ Pastor Troy “Throw it Up” Kings of Crunk 2002

This haunting track is the perfect backdrop for Lil Jon and Pastor Troy’s tag team. If
this song comes on and you don’t get amped, check your pulse.

B
ecoming the people’s champ is a tall
mountain to climb. Many have tried, but
few have succeeded. To sport the belt,
the streets need to trust that you’ll never leave
them. A champ puts an entire region on his back
and carries them to glory. You’ve got to be able
to knock out the reigning champ to earn the
crowd’s respect. The down South Georgia boy,
Pastor Troy, has done all of that and more.
Picture the music scene in 1999. Destiny’s Child
was trying to pay their “Bills,” Jay-Z was about
to “Get a What” with Ja Rule, and Juvenile and
the Cash Money crew were teaching folks how
to “Back That Thang Up.” Meanwhile, there was
a hungry individual attending school in Augusta,
GA. He’d had a chance meeting with the leader
of the No Limit tank, Master P. Although P
wasn’t as strong musically at the time as he had
been a few years earlier when “Bout It, Bout
It” took the world by storm, he was still one
of Forbes’ richest men. Pastor Troy was hungry
to become a No Limit soldier, and knew that if
Master P took the time to listen to him and his
group while in Augusta, his dreams of becom-
ing a rap star would finally materialize. Master
P eventually brushed off Troy, making way for
one of the most potent response records since
Tupac’s “Hit Em Up.”
“It wasn’t no big deal,” Pastor Troy remembers
and laughs. “It’s the same thing I be doing to
people now.” Troy boldly went into the studio to
put a name on a faceless track. It would become
his coming out party, “No Mo’ Play in GA.”
Using the same philosophy 50 Cent would
later employ on Ja Rule, Pastor Troy attacked
the largest Southern music icon at the time:
Master P. Just to make sure there were no
misunderstandings as to Troy’s target, the tune
opened with a call to No Limit studios inviting
P to war. “No Mo’ Play” was unlike any of the
sounds at the time and ushered in a new age
of chant tracks. When the first note dropped,
it bottomed bass bins from the Keys to the
Alamo with no apologies. There was automatic
gunfire in the track to get listeners even more
amped, much like a reggae bashment. Pastor
Troy found himself leading his new club con-
gregation, shouting, “We ready!” “No Mo Play
in GA” became a permanent staple in DJ sets
throughout the South. Troy was floored when he
saw professional athletes like Ray Lewis of the
Baltimore Ravens using the track to get hype
before a game.
Master P noticed the new wave of aggression
and released an answer record, “It’s On, We
Ready.” The people sensed a fighter in the
ropes and didn’t accept it. P used his influence
and attempted to prevent DJs and radio sta-
tions from playing the record, but the people
knew what they wanted to hear. “No Mo’ Play”
was all over the airwaves. When all else failed,
Master P forced Universal to drop their newly
signed act, Pastor Troy. But just when Master P
thought he had won, he learned a hard lesson:
Don’t deny the people.
Atlanta’s 97.5, featuring an aspiring personality
named Chris Luva Luva (now Ludacris), was pre-
paring to have their first summer jam birthday
bash. Tickets flew out of the box office when
Troy was announced as a performer, but fans
hesitated when news began to circulate that he
wasn’t going to make the show. Master P pulled
one more string to replace Troy in the lineup.
The night of the show, Master P was booed vi-
ciously by 30,000 people. Goodie Mob invited
Troy as a special guest during their set, and the
crowd exploded when they realized it was Troy
standing in the limelight with his now-famous
gold championship belt on his shoulder. A new
king had been crowned.
But, one tune does not make a legend. When
you’re the champ, people are constantly trying
to get your crown. “I’ve seen a lot of rappers
come, and a lot of rappers go. Anyone can have
a hit single, but you’ve gotta be able to follow
it up,” he says. Over the years, Troy has heeded
his own advice by consistently dropping music
the people can feel. His duality between reli-
gion and the evil of the streets spawned one of
his more memorable follow-ups in “Vice Versa.”
Plus, he let everyone know that “This The City”
and “You Can’t Pimp Me.” Troy linked up with
Lil Jon to “Throw it Up” and with Timbaland
to ask the ladies, “Are We Cuttin’?” He’s also
worked with Jazze Pha, Jermaine Dupri, Lil
Wayne, Juvenile, the Ying Yang Twins, David
Banner, Three 6 Mafia, Ludacris, UGK, and -
before Nas thought of the idea - his pops Pastor
Troy, Sr.
Since then, Pastor Troy has dropped street hit
after street hit, and several records with his
crew, D.S.G.B. (Down South Georgia Boys). He
dropped a number of albums independently
through his own label, Madd Society. After
Master P pulled rank, Universal decided to re-
sign Pastor Troy and eventually released Face
Off and Universal Soldier. After disappointing
record sales of his third major album, By Any
Means Necessary, Universal had to clean house
and Troy was dropped from the label. As a
true champ, he didn’t let that stop his reign
as he continued to release his CDs without the
support of a major. After all, his debut indie
album We Ready: I Declare War featuring “No
Mo’ Play” sold over 200,000 units. “Why would
I want to make $1/album at Universal when I
get $8/album independently?” he laughs. “My
generation was the first to watch rap peak. I
just knew I had to get into it and make a career
off of this.”
Any good champ knows when his time is up.
Pastor Troy is looking forward to a time when he
can relax at his house overlooking a lake with
a parking space large enough for his mammoth
F-650. That’s why Troy has invested his money
into things that can generate income for the
future. He went from being the debut artist at
The Bounce to owning and renaming the Atlanta
hotspot The Palladium. It’s now a venue that
can hold up to 3,000 partygoers and hosts a
state-of-the-art recording facility. “Some-
times I think, man, I should have bought that
Ferrari instead,” Troy muses. “But, at the
same time, if you do it right in business you
can buy ten Ferraris.”
Pastor Troy attributes his successful ca-
reer to the streets, explaining, “People
love me because I’ve been loyal and
true to them. Whenever you’re true to
it, they’ll love you for it.” Spoken like
a true champion.

18 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Wally Sparks / Photo Eric Johnson

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 15
T.I.
5 ESSENTIAL T.I. TRACKS
T.I. “Dope Boyz” I’m Serious 2001
T.I.’s core audience identifies with this hustler’s anthem the most.

T.I. “Still Ain’t Forgave Myself” I’m Serious 2001

It’s rare for any 20 year old male to have the insight to pour his heart into a song
like T.I. did here, painting a vivid picture of his life in rhyme.

T.I. f/ Beenie Man “I’m Serious” I’m Serious 2001

At a time when the Neptunes were synonymous with Jay-Z, Nore, Busta Rhymes,
and Ray J, a young, pompous, arrogant son of a hustler spit some of the most
boastful rhymes ever on one of their rawest beats to date.

T.I. “Rubberband Man” Trap Muzik 2003

This was the breakthrough song for both T.I. as a rapper and David Banner as a
producer; the track that made everyone outside the South take notice.

T.I. “Motivation” Urban Legend 2004

If this “fuck the haters” joint doesn’t motivate you, nothing will.

I
t’s been said that hustlers are of a differ-
ent breed. It’s also been said that you can’t
learn to be a hustler; you have to be born
one. Enter Clifford Harris Jr., better known
in today’s rap climate as the Southern lyrical
sharpshooter T.I.
I clearly remember the first two times I ever
heard T.I. on wax. One was on a song by an ex-
tremely important and underrated Atlanta rap
group called P.A. (Parental Advisory). Their al-
bum My Life Yo Entertainment contained a song
called “Down Flat,” and the second verse, by
some kid named T.I. grabbed my attention.
“Here go another fat, cut of that, G shit in an-
other rap, now I done made me another track
tighter than them other cats.” Now, what’s so
special about that line? Nothing, really, when
you read it on paper. But if you’d heard it deliv-
ered in a fluid manner with staccato cadence,
you would’ve been rewinding like I was.
The second time was while flipping through sta-
tions in Atlanta. I heard a remix of a popular
R&B song at the time, Co-Ed’s “Roll With Me,”
which featured T.I. Just like the P.A. song, I was
immediately taken aback by how well T.I.’s
nimble rhymes were bouncing all over this slow
R&B groove.
First and foremost, my impression of T.I. was as
a dope MC. Regardless of his subject matter, the
guy could flat-out spit. He was nice. Dumb nice,
as they would say in New York. After hearing
both of those songs I was ready to hear more,
but I couldn’t find any more music featuring
T.I.
In 2001, I made one of the most important
music purchases of my life. I’d become bored
with hearing Cash Money, No Limit, Three 6
Mafia, and Lil Jon in the clubs. I was ready
for something new; something fresh. From
the first time I listened to T.I.’s debut
I’m Serious, I felt as if I was listening to
something important. It was a changing
of the guard.
My thoughts were solidified when I
reached the final track on that album, “Grand
Royal.” All throughout the album I was smirk-
ing at the idea that this kid had the audacity
to call himself the King of the South. But on
this particular song, he said something that let
me know that T.I. really believed what he was
saying: “King of da South, labeled as one of the
greatest when it comes to the flow / I can give
a damn what you think cause if the legends of
the South ain’t complainin’ / Why in the hell or
the fuck would I care what you sayin’?” That’s
when I was sure T.I. was going to be around for
a long time.
Not everyone was so quick to embrace T.I.,
however. Many felt that he wasn’t qualified to
claim the throne to the South on his first album,
but regardless of their opinion, he still got
everyone’s attention. A hustler by nature with a
knack for creative marketing ideas, there’s two
things T.I. does best: talk enough shit to grab
everyone’s attention, and rap well enough to
back up all the shit he talks.
Four years later, T.I. has one platinum and two
gold albums to his credit, so it seems as if my
hunch was right. Now one of the biggest stars in
hip-hop, T.I. has become a leader of the pack.
The raw truth and emotion in his lyrics has
helped him earn the respect of older fans and
the attention of the younger fans.
One of T.I.’s strongest qualities as a rapper is
the fact that he never turns his back on his core
audience. He’s dedicated to representing the
code of the streets, informing hustlers how to
get money legally. He never forgets where he
came from, and that’s why his fans always come
back for more. Although radio-friendly joints
are a necessity, T.I.’s always got something for
the hustlers. And even though he often brags
about material possessions, he also voices the
internal struggles of a hustler in a way that only
a former dope boy could.
Like most Southern artists, T.I. knows how to
make money the independent way. He was ini-
tially signed to Arista, but the label’s president
was abruptly relieved of his job shortly after he
was signed. T.I. and Arista eventually parted
ways, but his buzz was still growing at a blis-
tering pace. His debut album continued to sell,
and sell, and sell some more - without any label
support, and virtually no promotion. Once the
word got out that T.I. was a free agent, a super
bidding war ensued.
With a sharp hustler’s intuition, T.I. and his co-
horts took to the street to capitalize on his rap-
idly growing buzz, releasing three volumes of
his self-produced In The Streets mixtape series.
The success of this mixtape series turned the
heat up on the continuous bidding war for T.I.
Fully aware of his worth, T.I. was able to negoti-
ate a deal which included four singles (with vid-
eos) for his next album. His sophomore release,
Trap Muzik, was top priority at his new home,
Atlantic Records. The commercial success of
his breakthrough single, the David Banner-pro-
duced “Rubberband Man,” was matched by an
album full of introspective lyrics and beats hard
enough for any trap. Other notable Trap Muzik
cuts like “Let’s Get Away” and “I Still Luv You”
showed his versatility.
Not feeling any effects of the sophomore jinx,
Trap Muzik has sold over 700,000 copies to date
and is still selling consistently. With his third
album Urban Legend currently tearing up the
charts, T.I. has been earning comparisons to
some of the all-time greats in the rap game.
Most notably, Pharrell referred to T.I. as the
“Jay-Z of the South.”
T.I.’s confidence is often interpreted as arro-
gance, and over the years he’s accumulated
more than one enemy in the rap game. In 2004,
T.I. settled a petty misunderstanding with Lud-
acris and the DTP camp and entered into a war
of words with Lil Flip. T.I. emerged the victor
in the battle, strengthening his claim as King
of the South.
He’s soothed over the tension with some of his
former rivals and forged informal partnerships
with other respected Southern lyricists like
Scarface and Trick Daddy. And as T.I. pointed
out years ago, if they don’t mind that he calls
himself the King of the South, why should you?

OZONE APR 2005 19

 Words & Photo Julia Beverly

# 14 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

DAVID BANNER
5 ESSENTIAL DAVID BANNER TRACKS
Crooked Lettaz f/ Pimp C “Get Crunk” Grey Skies 1999
Long before “crunk” became a part of mainstream America’s vocabulary, David
Banner and Kamikaze gained local notoriety with this Mississippi classic produced by
(and featuring) Banner’s favorite rapper, Pimp C.

David Banner f/ Bonecrusher “Lil Jones” Them Firewater Boyz 2000

Banner teamed up with Bonecrusher for another underground favorite.

David Banner f/ Lil Flip “Like a Pimp” Mississippi: The Album 2003
This simple but effective collabo was recorded in 15 minutes.

David Banner “Cadillac on 22s” Mississippi: The Album 2003

Banner’s letter to God: “I know these kids are listenin’ / I know I’m here for a mis-
sion / But it’s so hard to get ‘em when 22” rims are glistenin’.”

David Banner f/ Scarface “The Game” MTA2:Baptized in Dirty Water 2003

A hidden gem on the rushed MTA2, Banner shows his diversity by singing the blues
while ‘Face spits the real.

W
hether attacking the booth with his
trademark “Yeah!”, micromanaging
behind the boards, throwing his 200+
pound frame off stage into a sea of fans, or
mentoring children at the local Boys & Girls
Club, David Banner – born Lavell Crump – ap-
proaches everything in life with passion. Truly a
candidate for VH1’s Driven, Banner’s all-around
sincerity is the intangible quality which sepa-
rates the great artists from the good artists and
the influential from the forgotten.
Born and raised in (of course) Jackson, Missis-
sippi, Lavell adopted the stage name David Ban-
ner from the Incredible Hulk. He’s personable
and positive, but he’s also that mean mutha-
fucker who “might getcha jaw broke” or “teach
your young miss to suck a dick.” Although family
values are high priority in Mississippi, Jackson
once had the highest murder rate in the South.
Equal exposure to the “ideal” family life and
street elements would later form the dual per-
sonalities often heard in Banner’s lyrics.
While producing tracks in college for fellow
Jackson rapper Kamikaze, the two learned
that they shared similar interests and made a
good musical match. Banner’s charismatic stage
presence and thick Southern accent sharply
contrasted with Kamikaze’s even-toned grade-A
lyricism. Eager to put their state on the map,
they formed the duo Crooked Lettaz and landed
a deal with Tommy Boy. Their debut album Grey
Skies got rave reviews, but was poorly promoted
and tanked commercially. Banner went to New
York in 1999 with “$300 and a pistol” attempt-
ing to get a release from the label. Rap Coali-
tion founder Wendy Day helped the group break
free from Tommy Boy and a shiesty manager,
but it was only a small victory. Crooked Lettaz
was back at square one, so the group went into
survival mode: every man for himself.
Back home in Mississippi, Banner used his new-
found freedom to drop several indie releases
under his imprint b.i.G.f.a.c.e. (“believe in
God for all comes eventually”), promoting them
hard with limited resources. He recorded tracks
with artists like Pimp C, Devin the Dude, Norea-
ga, and Fiend, and sold underground albums
like Them Firewater Boyz Vol. 1 hand-to-hand
and through his website. Banner gained a repu-
tation for personally delivering online orders to
his customer’s front doorstep. Even more than
the music, it was this one-on-one personal con-
nection that left an impression on his fans. Con-
stantly striving for the spotlight, he tried other
routes to fame, including a homemade audition
for MTV’s The Real World which displayed his
two passions: music and firearms.
While honing his skills as a rapper and develop-
ing his unique flow, he learned how to “ghetto
rig” studio equipment. Using his production
skills to survive, he lived in his Astro van, cruis-
ing every Southern interstate imaginable to sell
tracks to indie labels. Through his travels, he
developed relationship with other new artists
like T.I., Lil Jon, and Bonecrusher, and caught
his first big production break with Trick Daddy’s
“Thug Holiday.” Banner soon landed two tracks
on Lil Flip’s platinum Undaground Legend.
When Banner’s van/studio was stolen while he
visited a Birmingham radio station in 2002, it
was a devastating loss. Fortunately, the thief
had thrown out his masters nearby, and he was
able to salvage some tracks - including “Like
a Pimp,” which less than a year later landed
him an unprecedented deal with SRC/Universal
worth a reported $10 million. He reflected on
the incident to the Clarion Ledger in 2003:
“You know where I was when I signed my deal?
Birmingham — the same town where my van got
stolen. I was driving through there when they
called and said the paperwork was ready. They
faxed it to me at a Kinko’s. God was just testing
me. [Both of those things happening in the same
city] was no coincidence. God said, ‘I’m gonna
strip you of everything to see if you’re worthy
of the blessings that I’m gonna send your way.
And if you believe in me and stay constant to my
will, then I’ll give you everything you want 10,
20, 30-fold.’ Another lesson learned.”
Borrowing from the region’s blues and rock influ-
ences, he might even be labeled a “conscious”
rapper if it wasn’t for his thick country drawl.
Amidst the pimpin’ and woodgrain-grippin’,
Banner often explores deeper subject matter.
Always precocious (his third-grade standardized
tests displayed college-level reading skills), he
was not only intelligent but popular in college.
While serving as SGA President at Southern Uni-
versity, he once debated then-Vice President Al
Gore. Political issues were a significant theme
on his second major release, MTA2: Baptized in
Dirty Water, as Banner openly criticized the
war in Iraq. With his experiences growing up in
Mississippi, a state with a long history of racial
conflict, Banner morphs into the Incredible Hulk
at the mere mention of the word “slavery.” For-
tunately, he’s able to unleash that anger into
thought-provoking tracks. More mellow songs
like “Cadillac on 22s” explore the questions of
basic human nature – life, death, love, family,
and God – with a raw, vulnerable honesty.
Still, politics and spirituality don’t generally
translate into record sales. It took a simpler
message – “Real guls get down on the flo’, on
the flo’” – to propel Banner into the national
spotlight. His addictive beat and catchy hook
coupled with Lil Flip’s vocals helped “Like a
Pimp” become one of the surprise hits of 2003.
Almost overnight, Banner became officially fa-
mous with the back-to-back releases of Missis-
sippi: The Album and MTA2. He was carrying the
state on his back – literally. Suddenly, it became
cool for rappers to shout out the state which
Banner once angrily referred to as “the place
which y’all don’t mention in y’all songs” (see
Nas and Olu Dara’s “Bridging the Gap” and T.I.’s
“Tha King”). A&Rs rescued small-town Southern
demos from their trash bins, and other Missis-
sippi rappers got signed to major labels.
Now that Mississippi is officially on the rap
map, Banner has moved on to conquer larger
territory. While heading out to Hollywood for
auditions and acting classes, he’s been put-
ting in overtime in the studio to create his
newest masterpiece, Certified. “They nev-
er certified me [gold] for Mississippi,” he
explains. “So I’ve got a point to prove.”
The only thing more dangerous than an
educated black man is an educated
black man with a point to prove and a
mic, so it’s safe to assume that Banner
will be Certified by the end of 2005.

20 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Jessica Koslow / Photo Julia Beverly

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 13
LUDACRIS
5 ESSENTIAL LUDACRIS TRACKS
Ludacris f/ Shawnna “What’s Your Fantasy” Incognegro 2000
This humorous fuckfest with labelmate Shawnna helped earn Luda his Def Jam
deal.

Ludacris f/ Pharrell “Southern Hospitality” Back For the First Time 2000
Luda turned “throw dem bows” into a catchphrase with this club favorite.

Ludacris f/ Nate Dogg “Area Codes” Word of Mouf 2001

Along with hip-hop’s favorite hooker Nate Dogg, Ludacris’ catchy wordplay had
everyone singing along with their ode to “hoes in different area codes.”

Nas f/ Ludacris & Jadakiss “Made U Look (remix)” God’s Son 2002
Luda’s verse on Nas’ remix remains one of his best with classic punchlines like “You
never stood half a chance like Siamese Twins,” and “It’s ‘Cris the menace / With
mo’ shit out on the streets than evicted tenants.”

Ludacris “Stand Up” Chicken & Beer 2003

Luda’s couplet is as hilarious as the video: “Watch out for my medallion, my dia-

C
hristopher Bridges was born on Sep-
tember 11th. What was once a historic
day for hip-hip is now a disastrous date
etched in the memory of mankind. Yet Ludacris
has a history of turning tragedy into triumph.
For example, think of his Bill O’Reilly/Pepsi
endorsement deal debacle. In the end, who was
acting a fool?
Not only is Luda one of the hottest mouths of
the South, but it could be argued that he’s one
of the greatest MCs to ever touch the mic. It’s
not because he breaks new lyrical ground, or
touches topics deeper than your average MC.
It’s that Ludacris says the same ol’ thing with
his own clever twist.
Hear how Luda spins the ordinary: “Our bul-
lets give you a deep tissue massage.” He’s also
known for poking fun at everyone from Chi-Ali
(“I’m young, wild, and strapped like Chi-Ali”) to
white women (“I’m the new phenomenon like
white women with ass”). Many can relate when
he spoofs John Witherspoon’s “cooooordinate”
or references pop culture (“I’ve been saved by
mo’ bells than Lark Voorhies”).
It’s not just his lyrics. It’s his hypnotic, rhyth-
mic, in-your-face delivery that marks Luda as a
master MC. Plus - and I’m speaking to the ladies
now - his voice is straight sexy.
Luda started as a radio DJ in Atlanta, known
as Chris Luva Luva. His is the story of a rookie
who studied the rap game extensively before
entering the ring. This is not the tale of a gang-
sta who, two years ago, wen tout and bought
every classic ever recorded, listened to them
thoroughly, and became an overnight hip-hop
pop sensation. Luda’s story began with hard
work and dedication, and is powered by
persistence.
Since Scarface handpicked Luda as the first
artist on Def Jam South in 2000, Luda has
executive-produced his four solo multi-
platinum albums. His Disturbing Tha
Peace label, which was responsible
for selling 61,000 copies of his first
indie CD Incognegro, has launched the
careers of Chingy and DTP members Shawnna
and I-20.
These days, success is measured in units sold
and Billboard spots held. Ludacris sells units
and holds spots on the Billboard charts, and
brags about it on the intro to his album Red
Light District:
Four albums in the can and I’m still in the game
(What up?)
And last album, they don’t like me to tell this
Debuted at #1 and sold more records than Elvis
(Shut up!)
Still you lookin’ at a man that’s financially
stable
Only nigga gettin’ checks cut from four differ-
ent labels
I’m over ten million sold, every album is crack
And for now I’m ‘bout to carry Def Jam on my
back
Luda is not only a pro at making hits for himself
(“What’s Your Fantasy?”, “Southern Hospital-
ity,” “Area Codes,” “Move Bitch,” “Stand
Up,” “Get Back,” “Number One Spot”) but
his 16s push other artists’ songs up the charts.
Just ask Missy Elliott (“One Minute Man”),
Jermaine Dupri (“Welcome to Atlanta”), and
Usher (“Yeah!”), just to name a few. Luda has
the Midas tongue. His joints light up the club,
compliment car cruising, and most importantly,
guarantee a smile on your face.
In addition to Luda the hitmaker, record break-
er, and hip-hopreneur, he’s also creeping on the
silver screen. He starred in 2 Fast 2 Furious, had
a cameo in Honey, and has two movies sched-
uled to be released in 2005. Luda knows how to
diversify. He is one of the faces of Boost Mobile
and once endorsed Pepsi. Along with his label
co-owners and management team of brothers
Chaka Zulu and Jeff Dixon, we can only expect
more big money moves from Luda and DTP in
the future.
Luda’s two most recent videos only reinforced
his rank as one of rap’s most creative artists.
With “Number One Spot/Potion,” Chris gives
Austin Powers a Ludacris makeover. He even
enlisted the movie’s mini-me actor Verne
Troyer and legends Slick Rick and Quincy Jones,
who produced “Soul Bossa Nova,” the sample
in Powers’ theme song. Not too many rappers
can claim a Quincy Jones cosign. Jones has
often been heard proclaiming, “I’m a big fan
of Ludacris.”
The way Luda uses Austin Powers imagery
throughout “Number One Spot,” from his
most recent album Red Light District, is pure
genius:
Causin’ lyrical disasters, it’s the master
Make music for mini-me’s, models and fat
bastards
Stay on the track, hit the ground runnin’ like
Flo Jo
Sent back in time and I’ve never lost my mojo
While Lil Fip and T.I. battle for the King of the
South title, Ludacris prefers the title “King of
the Kings.” He’s not looking to dominate just
below the Mason-Dixon. Christopher Bridges
considers himself an international P.I.M.P.,
rhyming, “Please tell your bitch, stop playing
with my zipper / Or I’ll brrrr, stick her, hahaha
stick her!”
He’s looking beyond his backyard. That’s what
makes Ludacris one of the best. While broad-
casting on the Atlanta airwaves, he saw the big
picture way before anyone else. He was at the
forefront of the Southern explosion, and will
remain at the top of the rap heap even if the
fire ever fades.
Ludacris appeals to everyone on every coast. As
he so eloquently puts it on Red Light District’s
“Large Amounts”:
So if I choose before I’m 30 I can lay in the sun
My dividends can show and prove the real
meaning of fun
That’s why I live by the sword but you can die
by my gun
The IRS will never sweat me or even put up
a fight
Cause I’m sure I pay more in taxes than you
made in your life

OZONE APR 2005 21

 Words Keith Kennedy

# 12 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

DJ MAGIC MIKE
5 ESSENTIAL MAGIC MIKE TRACKS
Magic Mike “Magic Mike Cuts the Records” Magic Mike and the Royal Posse 1990
This song helped put Magic Mike on the yellow brick road for many, many years to
come.

Magic Mike “Drop the Bass” Magic Mike and the Royal Posse 1990
“Drop the Bass” disrupted the monotonous tone of the club scene, and the dance
floor hasn’t been still since.

Magic Mike “Feel the Bass” Magic Mike and the Royal Posse 1990
“Feel the Bass” established a pattern of utilizing car shows and the streets to break
a record.

Magic Mike & DJ Scratch’s Coca Cola Commercial

Watching a DJ pair up with a Fortune 500 company like Coca-Cola to film a commercial was
extremely innovative.

Magic Mike “Vicious Bass” 1999

This single went gold at a time when complete hip-hop albums couldn’t.

A
pioneer is someone who ventures into
uncharted territory, leaving a mark for
others to follow. So, if a DJ sold over 6
million units and became the first to earn one
platinum and five gold certified plaques, would
he qualify? How about if he was one of the first
urban acts to be tapped by Madison Avenue to
carry the marketing flag for Coca-Cola, Nike,
Pioneer, and Microsoft’s X-Box? What if he had
four albums on the Billboard charts at once, in-
cluding two released on the same day? What if
he had his own drive-time radio show at age 13
and a career spanning 25 years? For these rea-
sons and many more, DJ Magic Mike is not only a
pioneer but also a Southern legend.
“My passion comes from loving music all my
life,” says Magic Mike of his career spanning
25 years. Formerly known as Mixmaster Mike,
his career began out of necessity. In 1981, Mike
wanted to rearrange Prince’s “Controversy.”
After much thought, he utilized the tools on
the tape deck. He fondly reminisces, “I wanted
a certain break in the song. I recorded it using
the pause button to get the parts I needed.” His
new innovation, the pause tape, would soon pay
off in spades.
Mixmaster Mike recorded other songs with
his new technique, placing his favorites on
mixtapes played on his boombox. His mother
took notice of his skills and gave his tape to
the program director at WOKB-AM in Orlando.
The PD was impressed and hired Mixmaster
Mike - at age 13 - for the drive-time Traffic Jam
show. Mixmaster Mike soon became the house
DJ for WOKB’s night at Skate World. Suddenly,
his name was rippling through the streets of
Orlando.
Later, the owners of the club New York Times
took note and employed the Mixmaster. Ironi-
cally, to enter the club you had to be at least
18, but for booth control youth wasn’t a con-
cern. The owners weren’t aware that Mike was
underage until he asked for a night off to attend
his senior prom! Mike was young, but as the club
owners noted, he was Magic on the wheels. The
name stuck. Mixmaster Mike graduated to Magic
Mike.
As his name grew larger and evolved, so did his
power to mystify the crowd. He became a top
draw in Orlando and moved on to the burgeon-
ing club Electric Avenue. Meanwhile, the Florida
bass scene was beginning to take shape, with
many artists stopping through to witness Mike’s
talents. MC Shy-D and Gigolo Tony attempted to
recruit Mike for road tours.
When Electric Avenue ran its course, Beatmas-
ter Clay D approached Magic Mike with the
idea of putting out an album. Eager for a new
challenge, Mike agreed, and the duo recorded
“Creep Dog” and eight other songs that eventu-
ally formed Clay D’s Boot the Booty album. But
Mike was unhappy with his situation. He was
being paid as a work-for-hire, not as a producer
of the album. He left the label, Vision Records,
when they tried to sign him to an unfavorable
contract. Mike’s name was removed when Clay
D released his follow-up albums Shake Them
Titties and You Be You & I Be Me. Magic Mike
considered it “paying my dues” and moved on.
Magic Mike’s first solo record, “Magic Mike Cuts
the Record,” generated a huge buzz. However,
there was nowhere to purchase the record.
Jimmy Jamz introduced Magic Mike to Tom
Reich, which resulted in a 50/50 label deal to
form Cheetah Records.
In 1989, “Magic Mike Cuts the Record” led the
DJ Magic Mike & the Royal Posse album. “Drop
the Bass” and “Feel the Bass” soon followed,
culminating in a three-prong attack. Their goal
was to hit 20,000 copies to appear on the presti-
gious Billboard chart. Magic Mike and Tom Reich
were flabbergasted to find that DJ Magic Mike
& the Royal Posse had topped over 1.3 million
units! The RIAA couldn’t believe an independent
label could sell so much product. They called
chain stores and checked sales receipts to find
that not only were the numbers accurate, but
in many stores, DJ Magic Mike was outselling MC
Hammer and Vanilla Ice in their prime!
Magic Mike’s follow-up album, Bass is the Name
of the Game, went gold in eight short months,
marking the first time an instrumental album
had reached that plateau. Ain’t No Doubt About
It reached gold status in three months. Even
the single “It’s Automatic,” with Vicious Bass,
was decorated in gold.
Where did this demand come from? “We were
different,” Magic Mike explains. “We didn’t
sound like anyone. You didn’t hear DJs cut and
mixing on records. Plus, car shows couldn’t get
music from anywhere else with the deep bot-
tom until folks began to copy.”
Then on March 3rd, 1993, nine years before
Nelly, DJ Magic Mike made history as the first
rap act to release two albums on the same day.
Bass: The Final Frontier (gold) and This is How
it Should be Done (400,000 units) were released
with much fanfare. Suddenly, he had four al-
bums on the Billboard charts at one time, and
Vibe Magazine labeled him “The Best Platinum
Artist You Never Heard Of.” He was soon laced
with the latest Nike gear, Sure microphones, Pi-
oneer DJ equipment, and Coca-Cola products.
In 1995, DJ Magic Mike released Bass Bowl to
a surprisingly lackluster response. He walked
away from his creation at Cheetah Records and
took time to re-energize and watch his newborn
son grow. In 1997, Interscope Records licensed
some of his music and re-released it for the
Booties in Motion project. Interscope wasn’t
interested in renegotiating for volume two, so
Magic Mike took the project to K-Tel Records.
The label soon folded. In 2000, Restless Records
scooped Mike for the Magic Kingdom album and
suffered the same fate.
Magic Mike was forced to take a step back.
He scanned the scene, his achievements, and
setbacks to realize that he’d gotten away
from his first love: DJing. Today, Magic Mike
is continuing to follow his heart. “I just love
the energy I receive from the crowd when
I perform. A DJ has a lot of power playing
records. You can either use it positively or
negatively.” Today, he delights fans at
venues around the world, all the way
from Japan back home to Orlando where
he has 2,000 weekly partygoers at Club
Antigua on smash and listeners groov-
ing to his radio show on WPYO.

22 OZONE APR 2005

 Words & Photo Julia Beverly

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 11
TRICK DADDY
5 ESSENTIAL TRICK DADDY TRACKS
Trick Daddy f/ Trina “Nann Nigga” www.thug.com 1998
Trick and Trina compete to show who’s nastier on their first hit single.

Trick Daddy “I’m a Thug” Thugs Are Us 2001

The timeless classic combines Trick’s vocals with a kids’ singalong chorus: “I don’t
know what this world’s gonna bring, but I know one thing: this is the life for me.”

Trick Daddy f/ Latocha Scott “Thug Holiday” Thug Holiday 2002

One of Trick’s biggest hits to date, this introspective track showed he had more on
his mind than just fuckin’ and thuggin’. Latocha Scott’s hook was perfect, too.

Trick Daddy f/ Cee-Lo & Big Boi “Dro in Da Wind” Thug Holiday 2002
With the combination of Trick, Cee-Lo, Big Boi, and an incredible track, how could
you lose? This song produced the unforgettable phrase “Trick loves the kids!”

Trick Daddy f/ Khia & Tampa Tony “J.O.D.D.” Thug Matrimony 2004
Trick Daddy went back to his bass roots with this Florida banger, joined by the strong
vocals of the thug missus herself Khia and the foul mouth of Tampa Tony.

M
erriam-Webster’s dictionary defines
a “thug” as “a brutal ruffian or assas-
sin,” synonymous with a “gangster” or
“killer.” Although Trick Daddy has been known
to brag, “Where I’m from, we tote big guns,”
throughout his career he’s also attempted to re-
define the common perception of a “thug.” Born
into poverty, he ran the streets in Miami’s rough
Liberty City and spent several teenage years in
prison, so he speaks from experience. Although
he proudly represents the “thugs,” there’s often
a deeper message in his lyrics.
In addition to being one of the few artists to
emerge from the Miami bass scene and achieve
national recognition, Trick Daddy also holds the
record for most consistent album titles. After
scanning his catalog of six albums - Based on
a True Story, www.thug.com, Book of Thugs:
Chapter AK Verse 47, Thugs Are Us, Thug Holi-
day, and Thug Matrimony - there should be no
doubt in your mind which segment of the popu-
lation he represents. One of the few “thugs”
who has been embraced by the mainstream,
Trick Daddy is known for entertaining crowds
all the way from grimy hood clubs to Howard
Stern’s TV show.
Maurice “Trick Daddy Dollars” Young first broke
onto the Miami bass scene as one of the artists
featured on “Scarred,” the hit single from 2 Live
Crew frontman Uncle Luke’s solo debut. Soon
after, Miami entrepreneur Ted “Touche” Lucas
signed him to Slip-N-Slide Records. At the time
Florida was known for bass music, with a his-
tory of successful booty-shaking artists like JT
Money & the Poison Clan.
Capitalizing off the buzz “Scarred” had cre-
ated, Slip-N-Slide released Trick Daddy’s
Based on a True Story in 1997. The album,
the cover of which featured a shirtless Trick
Daddy standing in front of a gigantic food
stamp, gained a cult following in Miami’s
underground pirate radio scene. “Nobody
really picked up on Based on a True Story,
but pirate radio killed it,” remembers
Miami DJ Teddy T. “We used to play
his entire CD [on pirate radio]. That’s
what brought him to the forefront
when he came back with the song ‘Nann Nigga,’
because everybody knew who he was already
from his first album.”
Although Based on A True Story didn’t reach
beyond Miami, it established Trick’s potential
and laid the foundation for what was about to
come. It also showed that he was versatile, not
just limited to booty music. “Trick Daddy is one
of those few artists who can flip it,” says Uncle
Luke. “He’s showed that he can be successful
with both bass music and gangsta music.”
With the success of Trick’s debut, Slip-N-Slide’s
roster continued to grow. They’d already signed
C.O. and Money Mark (Treplus) who later ap-
peared on Trick’s smash single “Take It To The
House.” Slip-N-Slide recruited Trina, the former
girlfriend of Trick’s deceased brother Holly-
wood, to appear alongside him on “Nann Nig-
ga.” In 1998 the song appeared on Trick Daddy’s
second album, www.thug.com (yes, that really
is his website). Sex always sells, so Trick and
Trina’s explicit sparring (Trick’s “Eat the pussy
with your legs up, then blow it all in your butt,”
vs. Trina’s “Quick to deep-throat the dick and
let another bitch straight lick the clit”) brought
them both widespread recognition.
“Nann Nigga” was an enormous hit, reaching far
beyond Miami into the rest of the Southeast-
ern region and even the Midwest. The success
they’d achieved independently caught the at-
tention of several major labels, and Slip-N-Slide
ultimately signed a deal with Atlantic Records.
Trick Daddy’s first major label release, Book of
Thugs: Chapter AK Verse 47, dropped in 2000.
Propelled by the club hit “Shut Up,” the album
did moderately well and lived up to their ex-
pectations.
But it was Trick’s next back-to-back releases,
Thugs Are Us and Thug Holiday, that firmly
established him nationwide. Thugs Are Us con-
tained the massive hit “I’m A Thug,” which be-
came an anthem for thugs everywhere and any-
one secure with their position in life. At a time
when Southern music was just starting to break
into the hip-hop scene heavily, Trick proudly
proclaimed, “Can’t Fuck With the South.”
While the world was becoming familiar with his
name through music, the cover of Thug Holiday
defined Trick visually. The unforgettable image
showed Trick’s ever-present scowl and blinging
row of gold teeth up close and personal. The
album was full of big-name features, as Trick
proved his lyrical abilities alongside great art-
ists like Scarface and Big Boi. Thug Holiday con-
tained massive hits like the title track and “Dro
in Da Wind” as well as underground favorites
like “Gangsta” and “Ain’t No Santa.”
“Thug Holiday,” produced by a then-unknown
producer named David Banner, showed a dif-
ferent side of Trick. Dedicated to his deceased
brother and “everybody in the county jail, state
pen,” he spoke for those who had no voice.
Trick Daddy knows how get the club jumpin’,
but he also knows how to make you think. On
this title track, he pleaded for a “thug holiday”
and asked thought-provoking questions (“In all
my history books, only ones who died was the
Americans / But who’s responsible for Vietnam?
/ And hold on, there’s more, we had two World
Wars / How come the judges make more than
the teachers is making / When they the ones
raising all the taxes and got us fighting for edu-
cation? / Life is crazy, ain’t it?”).
Two years later, a more mature, married Trick
Daddy returned with his sixth full-length al-
bum, Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets.
This time, Trick Daddy appears wearing a white
suit, beard trimmed neatly. His kindler, gentler
image is reflected in the music, with songs like
“4 Eva” and “Children’s Song.” Still, when it
comes to rockin’ the clubs and representin’
the thugs, he hasn’t lost his touch. The crunk
“Let’s Go,” booty-shakin’ “J.O.D.D.,” and ra-
dio-friendly “Sugar” all received heavy airplay.
Trick Daddy has consistently churned out hits to
make you dance and think. Most black men in
America are treated like “thugs” even if they
don’t act like one, and the rest of the country
has always been secretly fascinated with the
“thug” lifestyle. The fact that Trick Daddy has
embraced the word so consistently throughout
his career explains how he’s been able to reach
such a wide audience.

OZONE APR 2005 23

 Words Coby Kindles / Photo Tim Alexander

# 10
MASTER P
5 ESSENTIAL MASTER P TRACKS
TRU “I’m Bout It, Bout It” True 1995
This song introduced a Southern street catchphrase later used across the nation by
folk who really and truly don’t give a fuck. A classic for sure!

Master P f/ UGK “Break ‘Em Off Somethin’” Ice Cream Man 1996
Virtually every No Limit/UGK collabo became a Southern classic, and this one con-
tains one of Master P’s greatest verses: “Hustler, balla, gangsta, cap-peela, who I be?
Yo’ neighborhood drug dealer!” C’mon, everyone knows that shit!

Master P “Burbans & Lacs” Ghetto D 1997

A great ride-out song for Chevys all throughout the South. P’s shining moment: a solo
record with a Beats by the Pound track so retarded he could do no wrong.

Master P f/ No Limit Soldiers “Make Em Say Uhhh” Ghetto D 1997

Master P’s biggest hit to date made almost the entire No Limit roster into superstars.

TRU “No Limit Soldiers” TRU 2 Da Game 1997

In living color gangsterisms over a wicked piano-driven beat with rattling 808s.

P
ercy Miller, a.k.a. Master P, found success
with his underground label No Limit at a
time when the music industry had begun
to close its doors to gangsta rap. Mastermind-
ing many of the greatest commercial sensations
of Southern music, he established an empire in
the late 90’s and became one of the wealthiest
Americans in the world.
In 1990, using $10,000 he inherited from the
death of his grandfather, he opened an indepen-
dent record store in Richmond, California. He
called it No Limit because there was no limit to
his plans. Once he familiarized himself with the
music industry as a retailer, P took his entrepre-
neurial savvy to the next level by becoming an
entertainer and record label CEO.
He began to build his fortune in 1991 with
the creation of No Limit Records. He adopted
an army tank as his logo and released his first
album Get Away Clean and a second in 1992
entitled Mama’s Bad Boy. Both flopped, but
P didn’t give up hope. Two years later, he re-
leased an underground CD called The Ghetto’s
Tryin’ to Kill Me, which sold over 100,000 units
independently. His next release, 99 Ways to Die,
sold twice as many without major distribution.
When major labels heard that P had sold over
a quarter million records by himself, they ap-
proached him with record deals. He contracted
with Priority Records to press and distribute
his product, but remained sole proprietor and
CEO of his label. “In order for me to stay true
to myself and my company, I had to maintain
complete creative control,” asserts P.
When the deal was solidified with Priority in
1995, No Limit released TRU, adding P’s broth-
ers Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder to the mix.
Their album True sold over 400,000 units with
the hit “Bout It, Bout It.” The No Limit tank
was finally rolling. P’s next venture made music
history as he executive produced the first rap
compilations Down South Hustlers and West
Coast Bad Boyz, holding down the Billboard
charts for several months. Cheaply produced
and recorded, with no backing from mainstream
radio or television, P had built No Limit from an
underground sensation to a mini-dynasty.
As No Limit Records gained more notoriety, P
unleashed the 1996 solo Ice Cream Man, which
sold over 800,000 copies and debuted at num-
ber three on the charts. Soon after came Kane
& Abel’s The 7 Sins and Silkk the Shocker’s
self-titled album which debuted at number
six. In 1997, P released a compilation album
in memory of Tupac Shakur which debuted
at number two on the R&B chart and number
eight on the Top 200 chart. No Limit was now a
powerhouse. In the following weeks, P scored
big with the release of TRU’s new album TRU 2
Da Game, which debuted at number two on the
R&B chart, number one on the Rap chart, and
number eight on the Top 200. Within one week
of its release, TRU 2 Da Game was certified
gold. A month later, it was double platinum.
In June of 1997, P crossed over into the movie
industry and produced his first feature film,
I’m Bout It. The straight-to-video project was
financed, written, and directed by Master P
and debuted at number one. P starred in the
film, which was based loosely on his life grow-
ing up in New Orleans’ Calliope Projects. The
soundtrack to I’m Bout It went platinum, and
made history by being the first straight-to-video
soundtrack on the Billboard charts.
The latter part of 1997 brought P’s much-
anticipated solo album, Ghetto Dope, which
featured Foxy Brown, TRU, Mystikal, Too Short,
E-40, and Mia X. All the tracks on Ghetto Dope
were produced by No Limit’s in-house producers
Beats By The Pound. Master P brought home yet
another platinum plaque. He used his albums
to promote his entire roster, which consisted of
Silkk the Shocker, C-Murder, Mia X, Mystikal, and
Young Bleed. By the end of the decade, No Limit
had firmly established itself as one of hip-hop’s
Fortune 500. No Limit was regularly cranking
out at least ten albums a year.
Never content to rest on his accomplishments,
P wrote and directed another movie, I Got the
Hook-Up, which hit theaters in 1998 at the
same time as his chart-topping album, MP Da
Last Don. No Limit signed Snoop Dogg when his
contract expired with Death Row and released
Snoop’s Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told
later that year.
In 1999, P added yet another entity to his
growing empire. He established No Limit Sports
Management, acquired a license, and became a
sports agent. He began to reminisce on his own
short-live collegiate years as an NCAA guard for
the University of Houston. He’d dropped out of
school and forfeited an athletic scholarship to
start his business, so basketball was yet another
dream deferred. He tried out for a professional
basketball team and earned memberships with
the Continental, National and American Basket-
ball Associations. The seemingly unstoppable
Master P also became a professional wrestler,
formed a clothing line, and started a non-profit
organization.
P continues to make hits, but has slowed down
on the No Limit from these days as he becomes
more involved in his son’s career. At just 15,
Lil Romeo has recorded five albums, stars in
his own TV show which airs on the Nickelodeon
cable network, and is filming his fourth movie
with P. He follows in his father’s footsteps, en-
dorsing P. Miller and No Limit gear.
P’s latest double album, Good Side/Bad Side,
marks his tenth solo appearance and includes
tracks from his brothers C and Silkk as well as
Lil Romeo. Forever a trendsetter, P packaged
this one-of-a-kind limited edition version with
a full-length film on DVD.
In the past fifteen years, Master P’s No Limit
Records has released more than 50 albums (12
multi-platinum, 10 platinum, and 12 gold),
collectively selling over 50 million albums
worldwide. With various business and philan-
thropic ventures, Master P has proven that
there is no end to his resilience, and abso-
lutely No Limit to his extraordinary vision.
He shocked the entire music industry by
ignoring the standard formulas and doing
it the No Limit way. His empire has had
a major impact on the Southern music
industry, and will continue to have an
impact for years to come.

24 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Bayer Mack / Photo Jonathan Mannion

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 09
JUVENILE
5 ESSENTIAL JUVENILE TRACKS
Juvenile “Ha” 400 Degreez 1998
Even so-called hip-hop “purists” couldn’t front on this Cash Money masterpiece.

Juvenile “Back That Azz Up” 400 Degreez 1998

This club staple helped Juve sell more than five million copies of 400 Degreez.

Juvenile “U Understand” G Code 1999

Mannie Fresh is the producer, but the beat is just blaze. Juve completely murders
this track and all playa hatas within earshot.

Juvenile “Set it Off” Project English 2001

Juvenile once said that he signed with Cash Money to rap over this beat. The
retooled underground classic sounded ficka, ficka, Fresh.

Juvenile “In My Life” Juve the Great 2003

On this reunion track, Juvenile and Mannie Fresh prove why they’re the hip-hop
equivalent of Montana to Rice: touchdown. Since almost every great rap marriage
has ended in some sort of acrimony, it’s good to see brothers swallow their pride.

“You ridin’ in a Benz on 20” rims, ha?” Having validated his street credentials on the for allegedly striking a man in the head with a
blistering “Ha,” Juve proved he could get fe- bottle of Moet at the Improv Comedy Club in

I
caught very little of what Juvenile said the
first time I saw the video for “Ha,” but one
thing was for certain – it was on fire. His
unique Cajun-flavored flow was simplistic, yet
intoxicating. Even clubgoers as far away as the
notoriously fickle crowd of New York City’s infa-
mous hip-hop club, The Tunnel, couldn’t resist.
Juve’s tantalizing mix of raw urban reality and
rhythmic delivery captivated listeners.
Born Terius Gray, the rapper learned the impor-
tance of engaging an audience in the early ‘90s
alongside legendary turntablist DJ Jimi. While
elementary by today’s standards, Juvenile’s
performance on tracks like “Bounce for the Ju-
venile” showcased his ability to connect with a
crowd through the use of everyday “slanguage”
and shared experience. Cash Money Records
recognized this star potential and signed Juve,
releasing his solo debut, Soulja Rags, in 1996.
The album only hinted at what was to come two
years later.
There are two schools of hustling in the street:
cohabitation and expansion. With cohabitation,
as long as you eating good, you ain’t worried
about someone else. With expansion, however,
you take the hottest block from someone else
by force and start slangin’ your own product
uncontested.
A hungry Cash Money Records subscribed to the
latter school of thought. However, it would take
some serious muscle for sibling co-owners Brian
“Baby” and Ronald “Slim” Williams to strong-
arm the block from Master P’s seemingly
invincible No Limit Empire. The first single,
“Ha,” from Juvenile’s sophomore release 400
Degreez, served as the opening salvo in this
Bayou Cold War between the two camps.
Juvenile was the cannon and Mannie Fresh
was the battering ram. Already a veteran
in New Orleans rap circles, Fresh had slit
his wrist and poured blood into the beat.
Matched with Juvenile’s observations on
the subtleties of modern ghetto life,
“Ha,” was an all-out assault on the rap
industry as a whole.
males, young and old, to shake their booty on
the dance floor with “Back That Thang Up.” The
infectious club single skyrocketed to the top of
the charts and helped 400 Degreez sell nearly
five million records domestically. The album’s
success helped set the stage for the “bling
bling” era and thrust Juvenile into the ranks of
hip-hop’s elite.
By the release of Juvenile’s highly anticipated
follow-up, G Code in 1999, the Cash Money Mil-
lonaires were superstars in the game. Juve’s
lead role in the platinum straight-to-video re-
lease Baller Blockin’ had significantly increased
his celebrity stock and the first single, “U
Understand,” cemented his reputation as a hit
maker. While somewhat formulaic in concept, G
Code still thrived commercially; selling nearly
300,000 copies in its first week. However, be-
sides the first single, the album lacked original-
ity, and only managed to do about a fourth of
the total sales generated by its predecessor.
“Take me to jail, take my muthafuckin’ ass to
jail!”
Behind the scenes, the trappings of fame and
fortune were beginning to sow seeds of discord
between Juvenile and Cash Money Records own-
ership. The growing tension came to a head in
2001 when Juve publicly severed ties with the
label. Citing financial disputes and creative dif-
ferences, the rapper announced the formation
of his UTP Records label with the backing of
Universal. Although it featured the banger “Set
It Off,” Juvenile’s third and “final” album for
Cash Money, the gold-certified Project English,
suffered from the CMR formula of matching one
blistering Mannie Fresh track with fifteen other
joints only fit for a demo.
Juvenile found himself in the headlines for all
the wrong reasons in the new millennium. In July
of 2000, the rapper was found guilty of several
misdemeanors after chasing five strippers down
the street with an ice pick (they reportedly let
a tub overflow upstairs during his housewarming
party). He was later arrested in March of 2001
Miami. To make matters worse, UTP’s deal with
Universal Records never really materialized, so
a mature Juvenile found himself going back to
his old Cash Money home in 2003.
“Y’all can’t do nuthin’ but love Fresh, ha?”
The reunion album, Juve the Great, was pure
Louisiana voodoo featuring everything fans had
originally loved about the crew. A reinvigorated
Mannie Fresh delivered the usual in the disc’s
explosive first single, “In My Life,” which also
featured the maestro on vocals, while the Bird-
man himself joined Juve on the refreshingly
positive breakup-to-makeup anthem “Bounce
Back.” No one, however, could have imagined
the public response to “Slow Motion,” featuring
fallen No Limit artist Soulja Slim. The collabo
shot to number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart
and became one of the biggest singles of 2004.
The future got even brighter for Juvenile in
2004 after he entered into an exclusive long-
term worldwide contract with Atlantic Records
that included distribution for his UTP (Uptown
Projects) imprint. His first artists, partners
Wacko and Skip, scored a hit single with “Nolia
Clap” on Rap-A-Lot Records, Juvenile’s first
without Cash Money, and the public is once
again eagerly anticipating something from that
yella Nolia Boy in 2005.
In December of last year, I had the pleasure
of interviewing southern rap legend Willie D
of the Geto Boys. Always the most outspoken
member of the pioneering trio, I asked Willie
when was the last time he heard something on
a record that shocked or caused him to raise
an eyebrow.
“Juvenile say some crazy shit,” was his re-
sponse. “But he say shit that I would say. Like
on his new album with UTP he say, ‘Order a
drink and sit yo black ass down.’ That’s some
real shit. I love how he put regular conversa-
tion in the rap.”
Apparently, everyone else does too.

OZONE APR 2005 25

 Words Julia Beverly / Photo Michael Blackwell

# 08 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

LIL JON & THE EASTSIDE BOYZ

5 ESSENTIAL LIL JON & THE EASTSIDE BOYZ TRACKS
Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz “Bia Bia” Put Yo Hood Up 2001
A true testament to their hook-writing skills, this one is guaranteed to get you crunk.

LIl Jon & the Eastside Boyz f/ Mystikal & Krayzie Bone “I Don’t Give a Fuck”
Kings of Crunk 2002
The hypnotic beat and live-ass video contributed to the success of this early hit.

Lil Jon & the ESB f/ E-40, Petey Pablo, Bun B, & 8Ball
“Rep Yo City” Kings of Crunk 2002
Lil Jon & the ESB enlisted four talented rappers to rep their respective ‘hoods.

Lil Jon & the ESB f/ Ying Yang Twins “Get Low” Kings of Crunk 2002
Their adaptation of an old-school fraternity chant became a massive hit and even
spawned a hit reggae remix, propelling Kings of Crunk to platinum status.

Lil Jon & the ESB f/ Usher & Ludacris “Lovers & Friends” Crunk Juice 2004
The bass from this remake of Michael Sterling’s slow jam could be heard blasting
from speakers everywhere in late 2004. Usher & Luda killed it, too.
(l to r) Big Sam, Lil Jon, and Lil Bo

A
former DJ and So So Def A&R, in 2004 Lil
Jon truly earned the title Producer of the
Year. But he’s also transcended the bound-
aries of Southern music into one of the most
recognizable figures in American pop culture.
His trademark “look” - the dreads, sunglasses,
and grill - has turned simple catchphrases like
“What!” and “Yeah!” into part of every frat
boy’s vocabulary. Along with the Eastside Boyz
Big Sam and Lil Bo, Jon defined the “crunk”
movement, which has become a cultural phe-
nomenon.
Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz’ albums have not
only hovered on the charts consistently for the
past several years, but they’ve done it indepen-
dently. They’ve become the flagship artist for
the urban division of New York-based indepen-
dent label TVT Records, putting them in a class
all by themselves. Although they may not have
the benefits of a major label, they also don’t
have to deal with the drawbacks of a major la-
bel. Instead of spitting out albums with one hit
song and a bunch of filler, Lil Jon & the Eastside
Boyz consistently produce albums with four,
five, even six singles.
In addition to his own blossoming career, Lil Jon
has also played a key role in pushing his label-
mates’ careers to the next level - for example,
the Ying Yang Twins and Pitbull. His own artists
are rising stars - Lil Scrappy, Trillville, Bohagon,
Oobie, and Chyna White. He’s produced hit sin-
gles for countless artists, including Usher, Petey
Pablo, and Ciara. And aside from the music, Lil
Jon has ventured into other entrepreneurial
ventures, including a porn DVD, CRUNK!! Energy
Drink, and Oakley sunglasses.
Born into a privileged Atlanta family, Jon was
always talented, but a self-described “lazy-ass
muthafucker.” It took a verbal kick in the ass
from friend and eventual business partner Rob
Mac to take his potential seriously. Jon started
DJing in the Atlanta scene in the early 90’s. His
ear for music caught the attention of So So Def
CEO and artist Jermaine Dupri, who hired Jon
as an A&R for the label. During the next seven
years at So So Def, Jon oversaw the production
of the So So Def Bass All-Stars compilation al-
bums, which went gold and spawned hit singles
like INOJ’s “Love You Down.” They also featured
then-unknown artists like the Ying Yang Twins,
DJ Smurf, and the Eastside Boyz.
Jon was also a DJ on several Atlanta radio sta-
tions. As an experienced DJ and A&R, Jon knew
what the people wanted to hear. “Every DJ
wants to make a record, so it was just a natural
progression for me,” he says of his next career
move. He produced a beat and played it over
the phone for Eastside Boy Big Sam in 1999. Ten
minutes later, “Who You Wit’” was born. The
buzz created by “Who You Wit’” was followed
by similar records like “Bia Bia,” which are still
getting the clubs crunk six years later.
Next, Jon linked up with Rob Mac and longtime
friends Vince Phillips and Dwayne “Emperor”
Searcy to form BME (Black Market Entertain-
ment). While many businesses with multiple
co-owners suffer from internal conflict, this
foursome works because each individual serves
a specific purpose and the have a common goal.
An experienced entertainment attorney, Vince
handles the business aspects. Searcy, a popular
radio and club DJ in Atlanta, was influential in
securing airplay for Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz’
records.
By the year 2000, Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz’
debut album Put Yo Hood Up was complete. TVT
A&R Bryan Leach was visiting Atlanta to meet
with the Dungeon Family and noticed two Lil
Jon & the Eastside Boyz’ records getting heavy
spins on Atlanta airwaves: “Just a Bitch” and “I
LIke Dem Girlz,” featuring Jazze Pha. When he
saw them performing live, he was floored.
“It was a capacity crowd,” Bryan recalls. “I saw
guys with their shirts off, sweating, basically
slam-dancing. It was the energy of the Onyx
show with the intensity of a rock show and
the hardness and darkness of a Public Enemy
or NWA. I figured we could sell a shitload of
records.” Although Jon was being courted by
other labels, TVT’s independent structure ap-
pealed to him creatively and financially. BME
signed a production deal with TVT and by mid-
2002, Put Yo Hood Up was certified gold.
Even though Put Yo Hood Up was successful,
Jon believed that they should be reaching a
wider audience. They dropped Kings of Crunk
in 2002, enlisting Fat Joe and Trick Daddy for
the lead single “Play No Games.” Fat Joe and
Trick Daddy’s presence on the record helped
open the floodgates.
The certified platinum Kings of Crunk estab-
lished Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz as the leader
of this new movement in Southern music, with a
whopping seven songs receiving club and radio
play. And they saved the best for last. By the
end of 2003, “Get Low” had the entire world
singing “From the window, to the wall,” even if
(as Dave Chapelle gleefully noted) white people
hadn’t yet figured out what “skeet” meant.
But along with their success came the criticism.
“Lil Jon is ruining hip-hop,” whined some hip-
hop purists. “We don’t consider ourselves rap-
pers,” countered Jon. “We’re crunk artists. Our
goal is to make records that’ll make the club
get out of control so people can have a good
time. That’s why we work with a lot of rap-
pers.” Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz’ albums have
featured too many artists to mention. But don’t
they sound so much better over a Lil Jon beat?
After working Kings of Crunk for a solid two
years, Jon & the Eastside Boyz spent an entire
summer living in an oceanfront Miami mansion,
partying their asses off and recording their third
album. Thanks in part to the mainstream expo-
sure Jon gained from Dave Chapelle’s parodies
of him, the highly-anticipated Crunk Juice was
certified double-platinum just months after
its release - unheard of for an independent
album. Propelled by singles like “What U Gon’
Do” and “Lovers & Friends,” there’s plenty
more where that came from.
Today, Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz are offi-
cially stars, but they still employ the same
humble attitude that helped them rise to
the top: it’s all about making good music.
As both a producer and an artist, Lil Jon
has proven himself a talented musician
both within and beyond the boundaries
of “crunk” music.

26 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Wally Sparks / Photo Julia Beverly

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 07
THREE 6 MAFIA
5 ESSENTIAL THREE 6 MAFIA TRACKS
Three 6 Mafia “Tear the Club Up” Mystic Stylez 1995
This song is considered by many to be the birth of crunk music. Every DJ below the
Mason-Dixon line has a story to tell involving this record.

Tear Up Da Club Thugs “Slob on My Knob” CrazyNDaLazDayz 1999

One of the greatest call-and-response records in the history of Southern rap music.
Barely even two minutes long, this song has become a surefire party starter.

Three 6 Mafia “Who Run It” When the Smoke Clears 2000
Three 6 Mafia at its very best: all six members rapping together over a classic
menacing beat from super producers DJ Paul and Juicy J.

Three 6 Mafia f/ UGK “Sippin’ on Some Syrup” When the Smoke Clears 2000
This song introduced the rest of the nation to the well-known intoxicating practice
in the South: sipping on a liquid concoction of prescription codeine and liquor.

Three 6 Mafia “You Scared Pt. 2” Da Unbreakables 2003

This Southern club classic is an instantly recognizable beat. (l to r) Juicy J, Crunchy Black,
DJ Paul, and Lord Infamous

D
J Paul, Juicy J, Crunchy Black, Lord In-
famous, Gangsta Boo, and Koopsta Knicca
are the six individuals who make up the
group synonymous with the soundscape of Mem-
phis, Tennessee: Three 6 Mafia. Although two of
these artists have since moved on to navigate
their own solo careers outside of the Three 6
fold, the undeniable impact of this group on the
Southern music scene can’t be duplicated.
What started as two young mixtape DJs bat-
tling each other became a movement. In the
late 80’s and early 90’s, DJ Paul and Juicy J
were both staples in Memphis’ mixtape circuit.
While battling each other for local supremacy,
they gained respect for each other’s work and
decided that it would be best for them to come
together.
They both had a strong following, so working
together would ensure they’d be at the top of
the local budding rap scene. DJ Paul and Juicy
J both had their own rappers that appeared
frequently on their mixtapes, so they decided
to form a super group with those rappers. Thus,
the legend of Three 6 Mafia began.
ing the “gangsta walking” and “buck jumping”
craze that was birthed in Memphis, Three 6 Ma-
fia released a song that is now considered the
first crunk record: “Tear Da Club Up.”
“Tear Da Club Up” was like a virus. It spread
throughout the Southeast at a fast and furi-
ous pace. What made this song unique was the
hypnotizing effect it seemed to have on club
patrons whenever it was played. Once the DJ
dropped the needle on the record, they’d do
as the song instructed them to do: “Tear Da
Club Up,” literally! Club owners, fearing the
potential destruction of their venue, began to
fine DJs for playing the record. Some clubs even
banned the record.
For many years, Three 6 Mafia’s music was
limited to the Southeast. By industry standards
that’s not a good thing, but for DJ Paul and
Juicy J, it wasn’t a big deal. They were making
money hand-over-fist selling their product inde-
pendently, directly to their consumers. Three 6
Mafia always understood simple economics from
day one: you create a demand, then supply the
product.
Young Buck, the YoungBloodz, and many more.
Three 6 Mafia is ready to spread their sound all
over the world.
Another hat Three 6 Mafia seems to wear with
style is that of an independent filmmaker. Their
first independent film, Choices, set a record for
the best-selling independent film. The film also
served as the launching pad for one of Three 6
Mafia’s most celebrated artists, Project Pat.
As a part of Three 6’s Hypnotized Mindz camp,
Project Pat also has a Three 6 Mafia-produced
platinum album to his credit. Since then, Three
6 Mafia has also been able to guide the careers
of artists such as Lil Wyte, Frayser Boy, and La
Chat to phenomenal success in the independent
market. For example, Lil Wyte’s first solo album
Doubt Me Now has sold over 150,000 to date,
with little video or radio airplay. Three 6 Mafia
also plans to work with several up and coming
artists. The newest member of the Hypnotized
Mindz camp is Florida-based artist Grandaddy
Souf, who enjoyed regional success with his sin-
gle “Savage Journey (Fuck da Law).” His style is
a perfect match for Three 6’s beats.

In the midst of the Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah,
and Monie Love era, Three 6 Mafia can be cred-
ited as one of the first groups in the South to put
out a hardcore female rapper. Touted as possibly
one of the best female rhyme spitters to ever
come out of the South, Gangsta Boo was the
perfect ingredient to add to the Three 6 Mafia
mix. Gangsta Boo earned respect from all the
males in the Southern rap game and had a great
influence on other female rappers.
Fast-forwarding a few years into the mid-90’s,
we started to see the growth of Three 6 Ma-
fia. They’d always had a devoted fan base.
They began to release self-promoted inde-
pendent albums full of club classics that
were riot-enticing if played in the club at
the wrong time.
Although Three 6 Mafia had already had
several well-known local jams, nothing
could prepare them or their fans for
what was about to come. Spearhead-
Rumored to be just as menacing in the board-
room as they are behind the mic, DJ Paul and
Juicy J have proven that their brash declara-
tions of “We run this independent shit” are not
words to be taken lightly. Boasting over ten
independently released albums with numbers
totaling over 500,000 strong, that statement
holds some major weight.
Major labels began to see the potential in
Three 6 Mafia. They first signed with Relativ-
ity Records, then moved to Loud Records, and
eventually landed at their current home of
Columbia/Sony. Three 6 Mafia has earned the
right to boast that they’re the first group from
Memphis with a platinum album.
DJ Paul and Juicy J aren’t limited to just CEOs
and artists, either. After years of creating and
maintaining the Three 6 Mafia sound, these
super producers have become sought-after
beatmakers in the industry. Their client list is
filled with names like Ludacris, T.I., Killer Mike,
With a track record spanning over a decade in
the music industry, Three 6 Mafia has earned
their respect from artists and executives alike.
They’ve left their stamp on the industry with-
out ever compromising themselves or their mu-
sic. They’ve been able to achieve the artistic
freedom and the financial success that many
artists can only dream of.
Crunk music, a form of Southern music which
they helped lay the foundation for, has enjoyed
tremendous success in recent years. Every time
your favorite artist encourages you to wild out
in the club, you are paying silent homage to the
trailblazers, Three 6 Mafia.
There’s many reasons why Three 6 Mafia is con-
sidered one of the greatest groups in Southern
history. Their longevity, their uncompromising
disposition, their shrewd business acumen,
and most importantly, their music have all
combined into one big pot of their mind-hyp-
notizing sound.

OZONE APR 2005 27

 Words Bayer Mack

# 06 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

8BALL & MJG

5 ESSENTIAL 8BALL & MJG TRACKS
8Ball & MJG “Mr. Big” Comin’ Out Hard 1993
A gangsta-walk anthem and the group’s first big hit, “Mr. Big” slashed through clubs
down South like a hot knife through butter.

8Ball & MJG “Lay It Down” On The Outside Looking In 1994

Although this album was tame compared to Comin Out Hard, “Lay It Down” was
fightin’ music at its best.

8Ball & MJG “Space Age Pimpin’” On Top of The World 1995
8Ball & MJG’s answer to Outkast’s “Funky Ride.” Champagne, weed, and stout sistas
in negligee - oh boy!

8Ball & MJG “Just Like Candy” Suave House: The Album of The Year 1996
This ode to candy-painted Chevys is a true Southern classic.

Tela f/ 8Ball & MJG “Sho Nuff” Piece of Mind 1996

This is actually Tela’s single, but labemates Ball & G blaze the Jazze Pha track so
hard, you’d think it was theirs.

N
ashville, Tennessee circa 1993: I’m in
the office of Sonny Paradise, founder of
Street Flavor Records (Haystack, Pistol).
He’s listening to my three-song maxi single
“Leave Em Alone” when suddenly he stops the
tape. “I like this,” he says. “But you know how
you say ‘Main?’ That’s kinda country. You might
want to [work on] that.”
And that was that. I didn’t get a record deal
with Street Flavor, so I started my own label and
got distribution from Select-O-Hits in Memphis.
They had experience with “country rappers”
like me. In fact, Johnny Phillips and his crew
were starting to make a mint off a local group
with accents as thick as molasses, beats made
for the hole-in-the-wall club scene, and a keen
sense of marketing. Their name was 8Ball &
MJG.
8Ball & MJG had undoubtedly encountered the
same type of resistance from uninitiated north-
erners like Paradise many times before. That’s
why they named their first offering on Suave
House Comin’ Out Hard. You see, coming from
Tennessee with no major label, no heritage of
Hip-Hop and the country music stigma firmly at-
tached, it was mandatory that the duo make a
seismic impact.
They couldn’t just knock on the door. They
would have to kick that motherfucker down.
In many ways, 8Ball & MJG are to fellow south-
ern rap pioneers Outkast what Richard Pryor
was to Bill Cosby. While the Cos’ enjoyed the
mainstream success and acceptance of Johnny
Carson and Ed Sullivan, Pryor staked his claim
in the “blue” comedy clubs of the Northeast
and in seedy Midwest nightspots. While both
comic legends inspired generations to come,
more black comedians would eventually eat off
of the template Pryor created than the image
Cosby fostered.
Similarly, Outkast’s 1994 debut Southernplayal-
isticadillacmuzik showed that a southern rapper
could be just as lyrical and creative as someone
from the East or West coast. 8Ball & MJG’s
Comin Out Hard, released ten months earlier,
proved that we didn’t have to change how we
dressed, talked or acted to move units.
Armed with the extraordinary marketing talents
of Suave House founder Tony Draper, Comin Out
Hard set a number of precedents. It introduced
Pen ‘n Pixel graphics to the hip-hop world with
the colorful cover art of the two MCs whizzing
through downtown in a Lexus coupe. While an
upstart label boss named Percy Miller was trying
to downplay his southern roots by embedding
himself and his fledgling No Limit Records in the
Northern California music scene, Suave House
was embracing the South with all the fervor of a
mothball-smelling auntie at a family reunion.
There were no Bloods, no Crips, no left coast
or tri-state slang to speak of in a Ball & G lyric
because these things didn’t exist where they
lived. They spoke the language of the South.
They talked about the things that went on in
Memphis: pimping, robbing and dealing drugs.
With both guns blazing, Suave House released
its two nine millimeter boys on the public.
Comin’ Out Hard was a perfect blend of the
cinematic (“Armed Robbery,” “Mr. Big”) the
hardcore (“Pimps,” “Niggas Like Us”) and the
prophetic (“Comin Out Hard,” “Pimps In The
House”). While rappers like Too $hort spoke of
being a pimp, 8-Ball & MJG laid down the cold
hard realities of pimpin’ in their rhymes.
Far from politically correct, 8Ball & MJG loaded
their debut outing with all the shock value of
a Donald Goines novel while cushioning the
blow with sweet soul samples like “Love TKO”
from Teddy Pendergrass. One could argue that
Andre and Big Boi saw how music fans in the
Southeast gravitated to this “pimpology,” thus
the playalistic theme of Cadillacmuzik which
expertly concealed the group’s deeper creative
motivations.
While Outkast began their extraterrestrial
flight with their second release ATLiens, 8-Ball
& MJG also started to evolve. Buoyed by their
independent success, the album On The Outside
Looking In featured a guest appearance by then
nationally-recognized rap star MC Breed – a sign
that Ball & G were reaching audiences out-
side the Dirty Dirty. Having nowhere near the
impact of Comin’ Out Hard, their sophomore
release did include the “get buck” classic “Lay
It Down” and further established 8Ball & MJG’s
credibility in the music industry.
By far their crowning achievement, the group’s
third album On Top Of The World was a sonic
journey through the life of one of the South’s
most influential rap teams. Debuting at Number
2 on Billboard behind the Dogg Pound’s Dogg
Food was no small feat for two country playas
during the G Funk Era, but Ball & G managed to
pull it off. On Top Of The World revealed a more
socially, spiritually and creatively sharp 8Ball &
MJG. They urged listeners to avoid the evils of
casual cocaine use (“Funk Mission”), to be wary
of less-than-genuine associates (“Friend or
Foe”) and detailed the struggle hustlers experi-
ence trying to leave the game behind (“What
Can I Do?”). Social introspection aside, the boys
from Orange Mound still slipped in one for the
playas with “Space Age Pimpin’.”
The success of On Top Of The World opened
many doors for the duo, including solo projects.
Though MJG’s blistering gold-certified No More
Glory was largely overshadowed by Eightball’s
multi-platinum triple CD Lost, it is now widely-
considered the better of the two discs.
Sadly, it is at this point the 8-Ball & MJG
story takes a turn for the worse. Their thirst
for mainstream hip-hop acceptance, coupled
with internal disputes with Suave House, led
to the group bouncing from label to label for
several years. They eventually landed at Bad
Boy, where they released the more commer-
cially-driven Living Legends.
Looking back now, I remember shuddering
at a photo of Ball and G sporting denim
jackets, gold teeth and jheri curls on Co-
min’ Out Hard. I thought, “These niggas
gonna push us back 20 years.”
Little did I know that they were ush-
ering in today’s dominant force in
music.

28 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Matt Sonzala

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 05
DJ SCREW
5 ESSENTIAL DJ SCREW TAPES
DJ Screw 3 ‘N The Mornin’, Pt. 2 1995
This album introduced the rest of the world to the originator of the Houston rap
sound.

DJ Screw June 27th 1996

Features all the prime members of the Screwed Up Click doing what they do
best: freestylin’ non-stop til the cows come home.

DJ Screw Leanin’ on a Switch 1996

This one had the streets locked down for months. A true classic, Screw showed
out on this one.

DJ Screw It’s All Good 1997

Featured Fat Pat throughout and started off with the classic Biggie jam, “Kick
In the Door,” one of the greatest jams ever Screwed.

DJ Screw Mash for My Dreams 1998

Another tape chock full of some of Screw’s artists most classic freestyles.

F
ew DJs in the world of rap, or any other
style of music, have left a legacy as impor-
tant and revered as DJ Screw’s. The earli-
est progenitors of hip-hop, namely Kool Herc,
Afrika Bambaataa, Grandwizard Theodore and
the like may have one up on Screw, born Robert
Earl Davis in Smithville, Texas in 1971, but that’s
about it. Your favorite DJ from your region may
have left his or her mark, and might have even
brought the music to your town first, but no one
has ever started a movement as strong as the
late DJ Screw.
Screw started out in the mid to late 80’s like
any other hip-hop DJ, cutting and scratching
and mixing records on his parent’s home stereo,
borrowing and sharing equipment to play parties
and clubs. Early on he would DJ for different
MCs from his Southside neighborhood, and even
contributed to the cuts on the demo that ended
up getting the Odd Squad (Devin the Dude’s first
group) signed to Rap-A-Lot Records.
But it was when he stumbled upon a new style
of making mixtapes, one that was all his own,
that he began to take over Texas. Reports of
how this actually came about are sketchy, but
in the early 90’s Screw recorded a mixtape
with the records pitched so far down that many
people thought he was playing them on the
wrong speed. For some reason, people from his
hood loved it. Mixtapes were generally used to
generate hype, so they were usually upbeat and
featured the DJ chanting and yelling to get the
audience excited. For, some this new sound was
too crazy to accept. But for many, these slowed
down tapes became the norm.
Screw came from meager beginnings, having
moved to Houston from Smithville to stay
with his father and enter the city’s burgeon-
ing rap scene. Upon arrival, Screw would
extend his hand to almost anyone involved
in the music, and in doing that formed the
strongest group of rappers to ever reside
in Texas, the Screwed Up Click.
Early on, DJ Screw would sell his tapes
directly from his house. Many times
his tapes were made personally for
one person who would come over and select
records for him to slow down and mix onto a
single Maxell “Gray” cassette tape. These tapes
would then be dubbed and sold or traded in the
streets, and everyone from Screw’s neighbor-
hood soon had to have a “personal.” As more
and more people would come to Screw’s house,
he’d let certain artists freestyle on their own
personals, and later used the artists he liked
the most to appear on tapes he began to circu-
late in wide release.
Screw was a relentless workaholic. He released
tapes weekly, if not more, and when word of a
new tape began to circulate in the streets, cars
full of people would line up around his block
in hopes of getting their hands on the newest,
freshest mix. Outsiders found his sound a bit
hard to swallow, but as he released more and
more tapes and his sound began to spread to
other cities like Austin and Dallas, Screw music
became the norm. It was born in Houston, so
the South finally had something to call its own.
Screw had mixing skills that could equal or
eclipse any of the top DJ’s of his time, but his
signature sound, open ear to new music and
support for the artists around him was what re-
ally got him over. As Screw’s legacy progressed,
people in the South began to check for artists in
his clique like the late Fat Pat, Lil Keke, Hawk,
Grace, Z-Ro, ESG and others. It got to a point
where many hip-hop heads around the state of
Texas didn’t want to hear anything else. If it
wasn’t Screw, it didn’t exist. Young folks had
to hear their rap music screwed, or they just
didn’t want to hear it.
Screw was also a bit of an introvert who liked
to keep to himself. He rarely sold his tapes
to stores, and if you didn’t get the tape from
Screw himself, you probably caught a dub or a
bootleg from someone else. This prompted a
handful of DJs to try their own hand at making
Screw mixes, though only a few (Michael Watts
of the Swishahouse, DJ D, PaulWall, OG Ron C,
Big Chance) were successful.
After a while, when he finally recognized the
size of the demand for his tapes, Screw opened
his own store, Screwed Up Records and Tapes.
The store was opened specifically to sell his
mixtapes, and nothing else. Walking into the
shop was like walking into a dope spot. A non-
descript storefront led to an empty room with
nothing but a few posters hanging on the wall
next to a dry erase board that listed the titles
of the tapes available for sale that day. The
cash register and inventory was kept behind
a bulletproof glass window, with a hole at the
bottom to slide money into and grab tapes out
of. Well into the CD era, Screw only sold tapes,
until the day he died.
Screw was the man. He launched careers,
forged a new sound and brought a certain unity
to the Texas rap market that is since unrivaled.
It could be argued that Texas rap fans support
their own so religiously because DJ Screw gave
them something that they could claim owner-
ship of. DJ Screw gave the world artists who
truly represented the Houston streets, artists
who took the language of the South and made it
marketable, artists who spoke directly to their
peers. He set a trend that soon became a move-
ment, one that lives on today - four years after
the passing of one of the most important men
in Texas rap history.
DJ Screw died in November of 2000. He was
found dead on the bathroom floor of his stu-
dio. Some say he died from a heart attack (his
mother claims it was his fifth), some say he
died from a drug overdose, and some say he
may have been poisoned and robbed. It’s yet
another mystery left unsolved in the music his-
tory books, but regardless, his music lives on
and just might be stronger than ever.
Now that he’s gone, major labels are releasing
“Screwed and Chopped” versions of their al-
bums, radio stations are programming “Screw”
mixes and young kids from all the way from
Texas to Finland are using computers to pitch
down their MP3s and jam “Screw” music. Some
argue that Screw was a man, not a genre.
Screw was an inspiration and a legend to al-
ways be respected.
Rest In Peace, Robert Earl Davis.

OZONE APR 2005 29

 Words Julia Beverly

# 04 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

OUTKAST
5 ESSENTIAL OUTKAST TRACKS
Outkast “Player’s Ball” Southernplayalisticadillacfunkymuzik 1994
This mellow track introduced Atlanta to the Dungeon Family’s unique sound.

Outkast “Elevators (Me & You)” ATLiens 1996

Big Boi and Dre’s lyrical chemistry at its finest. Dre explains every starving artists’
dilemma: “I live by the beat like you live check to check / If you don’t move your
feet than we don’t eat, so we like neck to neck.”

Outkast “Rosa Parks” Aquemini 1998

Rosa Parks didn’t get it, but everyone else did.

Outkast “B.O.B.” Stankonia 2000

Outkast spit at warp speed on the strangely titled “Bombs Over Baghdad.”

Outkast f/ Killer Mike “The Whole World” Big Boi and Dre present.. 2001
Only Dre and Big Boi could turn a simple piano melody and children’s choir-ish vocals
into a true hip-hop classic. Killer Mike lived up to his name, literally murdering this
track.

I
t was the start of somethin’ good
When me and my nigga rode the Marta
through the hood
Just tryin’ to find that hook-up, now every day
we looked up
At the ceilin’, watchin’ ceilin’ fans go ‘round
Tryin’ to catch that feelin’ of instrumental
Had my pencil, and plus my paper
On their classic 1996 single “Elevators (Me &
You),” Andre describes how the story began.
One of the greatest duos in hip-hop history,
Outkast was formed in the early 90’s when
Andre “Andre 3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big
Boi” Patton met at Tri-Cities High School in
Atlanta’s East Point.
Soon after Big Boi graduated (Dre dropped
out), Outkast linked up with Atlanta-based
production company Organized Noize, who had
already created hits for R&B supergroup TLC.
Recording in a makeshift basement studio, they
dubbed themselves the Dungeon Family. Mix
Organized Noize’s phenomenal creativity with
Big Boi and Dre’s lyrical abilities and a whole lot
of weed, and you’ve got a classic single.
Outkast’s “Player’s Ball” became the lead single
on Atlanta-based LaFace Records’ Christmas
album. Based on the response to the record,
LaFace CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid signed Outkast
to the label and immediately released their
debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. The
album shot to the top of the charts and was
certified platinum by the end of the year, a
phenomenal feat for a brand-new rap group.
Outkast’s sound was hard to define. Organized
Noize’s unique blend of jazz, soul, rock, and
funk music provided the perfect backdrop for
Big Boi and Dre’s undeniable chemistry.
Although Southern... featured several other
notable songs like the title track and the
inspirational “Git Up, Git Out,” there was still
room for improvement.
While recording for their second album, Andre
began to discover himself. Commonly described
as the “player” (Big Boi) and the “poet”
(Andre), they soon looked the part. Instead
of the typical throwbacks-and-baseball caps,
Andre began rocking an odd assortment of
turbans, tight leather pants, and other strange
fashion arrangements reminiscent of the 60’s.
In the same way, Outkast began to experiment
with their sound. ATLiens, arguably a classic
album, went double platinum. No big-name
production, no major features outside of the
Dungeon Family. Just raw, funky, soulful hip-hop
from those two dope boys in a Cadillac.
Outkast knew how to get your head nodding,
but the closer you listened, the more you
heard. “Outkast is by far my favorite group,
period. They said some stuff back in the day
that I just caught ten years later,” says David
Banner, echoing the sentiments of Outkast fans
worldwide.
Even though Southern... and ATLiens had
ushered in a new era in Southern music, the
group hadn’t yet received recognition from
mainstream America. That soon changed with
the release of their third album. Outkast kept
thinking outside the box and expanded their
style once again with their 1998 release,
Aquemini. The album title (a blend of their
astrological signs: Big Boi an Aquarius, and Dre
a Gemini) once again reflected their amazing
chemistry and willingness to step outside the
boundaries. Tracks like “Synthesizer,” featuring
George Clinton, exposed their audience to
entirely new sounds.
The biggest single on Aquemini, “Rosa Parks,”
was intended to be a tribute to the Civil Rights
pioneer. Unfortunately, the elderly Ms. Parks
wasn’t flattered. Offended by certain lyrics
(“bulldoggin’ hoes,” “ass,” and “shit’s creek,”
perhaps), Rosa Parks sued Outkast for false
advertising for using her name as the title. The
lawsuit was dismissed in late 1999, but still
remains in the Supreme Court on an appeal (a
fact which Andre 3000 referenced on Sleepy
Brown’s 2004 single “I Can’t Wait”).
If Rosa Parks had listened a bit closer to the
song, she might have overlooked the curse
words and caught one of Andre 3000’s most
ingenious verses:
I met a gypsy and she hipped me to some life
game
To stimulate and active the left and right
brain
She said, “Baby boy, you only funky as your
last cut,
Focus on the past and your ass’ll be a has-
what”
I try to just throw it at you, determine your
own adventure (Andre)
Got to her station, here’s my destination
She got off the bus, the conversation lingered
in my head for hours
Heeding their own advice, the group continued
to keep it funky. Outkast signed a licensing
deal for Outkast Clothing Company and formed
their own label, Aquemini Records. Over the
years, they’ve helped establish the careers of
other Dungeon Family-affiliated artists like the
Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, and Sleepy Brown.
Outkast released Stankonia in late 2000,
and the album sold over three million copies
thanks to the massive hits “B.O.B.” and “Ms.
Jackson.” A year later they released Big Boi and
Dre presents... a “greatest hits” album which
also contained the classic single “The Whole
World,” featuring Killer Mike.
Amidst rumors of a breakup, Andre 3000 and Big
Boi released a double CD in 2003, Speakerboxx/
The Love Below. Andre’s half was pure musical
genius, but a little too bizarre for some hip-
hop heads. Singles like “Hey Ya” were staples
on rock and Top 40 radio stations across the
country. Although the album was enormously
successful (over nine million copies sold), it
hasn’t yet been embraced by diehard Outkast
fans. Maybe in ten years, we’ll get it.
Perhaps Andre 3000 said it best at the end
of his verse on “Rosa Parks”:
When the record player get to skippin’
and slowin’ down
All y’all can say is, “Them niggas
earned they crown.”

30 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Wally Sparks / Photo King Yella

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 03
UGK
5 ESSENTIAL UGK TRACKS
UGK “Pocket Full of Stones” Too Hard to Swallow 1992
This quintessential UGK song has that classic, slow funk groove, crazy wordplay
from Bun B, and Pimp C’s nasal flow that we all love so much.

UGK “Front, Back & Side to Side” SuperTight 1994

This ode to candy-painted old-school Chevys during the hot summer months was an
instant classic, with a sample from Eazy E’s “Boyz N Da Hood.”

UGK “Fuck My Car” Ridin’ Dirty 1996

These hoes don’t wanna fuck me, they wanna fuck my car. How real is that?

UGK “Let Me See It” Ridin’ DIrty 1996

Whenever this Southern strip club classic is played at your local gentleman’s club,
you better have your ones ready because it’s about to go down.

UGK “Murder” Ridin’ Dirty 1996

The deep, haunting bassline is a perfect match for what could be Bun B’s greatest
verse ever recorded (“Smelly red jelly all over your Pelle Pelle”). (l to r) Pimp C
and Bun B

I
magine that you sign to a record label in
1992. In fact, you’re one of the first artists in
your area to sign to a major record label. You
release a debut album to critical acclaim, and
your sales reach the industry standard for suc-
cess. Then, you continue that very same trend
for the next five years, dropping two more suc-
cessful albums. You accomplish all of that with-
out hardly any radio play or music videos. Even
with the consistent sales numbers you always
attain, your record label still doesn’t have any
interest in marketing you properly.
For Pimp C and Bun B of the legendary Southern
rap group UGK (Underground Kingz), that is the
harsh reality. Back in the day, you never saw
UGK in The Source, Vibe, or Rap Pages. You
never saw UGK videos on Yo! MTV Raps or The
Box. Why not? Was it because of their record
label’s unwillingness to promote the group prop-
erly? Or was it because they were too “trill” to
do magazine photo shoots and show up on video
sets? My guess is that it was not the latter. Even
after enduring conflict with their label, UGK
still has diehard fans that support all of their
endeavors.
Widely considered as one of the greatest South-
ern rap groups of all time, UGK came into the
game in the early 90’s out of a small Texas town
called Port Arthur - which they frequently de-
clared to be the land of the “trill.” When UGK
broke onto the scene, the sounds of the West
coast were dominating radio, club, Jeep, Regal,
and Cadillac playlists all over the country. With
their debut album, Too Hard to Swallow, UGK
seemed to fit right into that gangsta music fold,
spitting lurid tales of sex, drugs, and money.
The one thing that stood out about UGK,
however, was their strong representation of
Southern culture.
“I’m from PA, bitch.” It was no secret. Like
it, love it, or hate it, they didn’t give a fuck
about what you thought. Their Southern
pride was important at the time, because
there were hardly any rap acts out of the
South making noise. UGK was not only
signed to a major label, but they sold
records. They sold records consistent-
ly enough to prove that they had a loyal fanbase
and understood the key to longevity.
Their label Jive, however, didn’t understand
or care enough to put proper promotion and
marketing behind the group. UGK finally got the
biggest commercial boost of their career from
an unlikely source: Jay-Z. During an interview,
Jay-Z was once asked what he listened to when
he wasn’t working on his own music. He re-
sponded, “There’s an album called Ridin’ Dirty,
by a group named UGK. I buy it at every tour
stop we make.” Next, Jay gave them some long
overdue exposure by recruiting them for his hit
single “Big Pimpin’.”
Their appearance in the video, which aired
heavily on both MTV and BET, exposed UGK to a
whole new audience. Even though “Big Pimpin’”
was the first time many consumers outside of
the South were aware of the group, UGK had
already solidified their place in rap history with
three gold albums to their credit.
One reason the Texas duo has gathered such a
dedicated following over the years is because
of their stark contrast in rapping styles. Pimp C
is the man behind the music, with an unmistak-
able voice boasting, “It’s Pimp C, bitch!” He’s
the man who brags, “I don’t make hip-hop re-
cords, I make country rap tunes.” On the other
hand, you have Bun B, an artist who is revered
by his peers as an MC’s MC. An extremely gifted
and clever lyricist, Bun B spits rhymes so sharp
they seem to cut right through the music.
When these two very opposite styles are meshed
together on one track, musical magic happens.
Their style and chemistry has been the blue-
print for many Southern rap acts. Many have
tried to duplicate the UGK style and failed, but
there are a select few artists who have seen
success following in the UGK mold. Imitation is
the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Over the years, UGK has been highly under-
rated. Have they been avoiding the limelight,
or the limelight been avoiding them due to lack
of proper promotion and publicity? Whatever
the reason, Bun B has been working hard to play
catch-up and reap the benefits that come from
having a legendary status in the game. Even
today, Bun B’s discography reads like a Hip-Hop
Hall of Fame. Their status is so legendary that
both Bun B and Pimp C have inked solo deals
with the historic Southern record label Rap-A-
Lot Records.
Even with all the missteps that Jive has taken
in dealing with UGK, the label has since seen
the light. They are now trying to cash in on the
group’s unwavering fan base by releasing three
“unofficial” UGK albums. Jive recently released
UGK’s Greatest Hits, an album full of UGK guest
appearances, a soundtrack ironically titled Side
Hustles, and a chopped & screwed version of
UGK’s Greatest Hits.
Another reason for the group’s lack of main-
stream recognition is Pimp C’s current legal
troubles. He was sentenced to eight years in
prison for a minor probation violation and has
served three years thus far. Despite Pimp C’s
situation, UGK’s future seems brighter than
ever. Rap-A-Lot recently released a Pimp C
album, Sweet James Jones Stories, consisting
mostly of dated freestyle material. Thanks to
Rap-A-Lot, Pimp C has been doing more inter-
views while incarcerated than when he was
free (look for OZONE’s Pimp C cover story com-
ing next month).
Pimp C is up for parole in December 2005, and
says he’s written over 2,000 songs while behind
bars. Meanwhile, fans are eagerly anticipating
the biggest reunion album in Southern hip-hop
history. Bun B has been keeping the UGK name
alive by recording guest vocals for a myriad of
albums, mixtapes and DVDs. He’s been working
at a relentless pace ever since his partner was
forced to sit still, keeping the UGK flag waving.
Fans are still awaiting the return of the true
Underground Kingz.
With consistent album sales spanning over a
decade with virtually no promotion, there’s
no question that UGK has secured their place
in Southern history. If there’s any doubt left
in your mind, just ask your favorite rapper,
“Who’s your favorite rapper?”

OZONE APR 2005 31

 Words Carlton Wade

# 02 Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

2 LIVE CREW/UNCLE LUKE

5 ESSENTIAL 2 LIVE CREW/UNCLE LUKE TRACKS
2 Live Crew “We Want Some Pussy” Is What We Are 1986
One of the first hip-hop records to incorporate rock & roll sounds, 2 Live Crew was
just speaking the real on this club favorite.

2 Live Crew “Me So Horny” As Nasty As They Wanna Be 1989

This enormous crossover record made history as one of the first hip-hop records to
use a sample from a movie, Full Metal Jacket.

2 Live Crew “Face Down Ass Up” Banned in the USA 1990
That’s the way we like to fuck!

Luke “I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown)” I Got Shit On My Mind 1992
The first bass record to get respect and credibility in the home of hip-hop: New York.

Uncle Luke f/ Trick Daddy “Scarred” Uncle Luke 1996

Uncle Luke decided to take bass music to the next level, and the result was this
nearly indecipherable and yet highly addictive club smash. This is the record that
broke Trick Daddy.
(l to r) Mr. Mixx, Chris Wong Wong, Uncle Luke, and Brother Marquis

W
hile regions all across the dirty have
staked their claims from H-Town to ATL
and Memphis to the Crescent, Southern
rap finds its deepest roots in the Sunshine State.
With do-fa-self groundwork laid by 80’s bass
mechanics like Pretty Tony, Gucci Crew II and
MC Shy D, South Florida gave Southern hip-hop
its earliest voice via booty-shake anthems.
None of the South side first-schoolers had as
much of an impact as the 2 Live Crew. Made
up of Fresh Kid Ice, Brother Marquis, Mr. Mixx
and label CEO/hype man Luther “Uncle Luke”
Campbell, this foulmouthed foursome drew the
blueprint to building a fledgling indie label to
mainstream success.
Orally fondling freaky fuck tales atop ass-shak-
ing 808 drum and bass, the 2 Live Crew brought
“booty music” from the Southern underground
to platinum success. Nearly two decades ago,
2 Live Crew put MIA - and the entire South - on
the hip-hop map.
Despite claiming fame in Miami, the 2 Live
Crew actually formed in California. The original
members of the group were Fresh Kid Ice, DJ
Mr. Mixx, and Amazing V, who left soon after the
group’s formation. Their electro-funk, break
dance-ready breakout single “Revolution” led
the group to Florida.
In Miami, 2 Live Crew hooked up with local re-
cord label owner Luke. The group hadn’t been
talking dirty on their records prior to meeting
Mr. Doo Doo Brown, but his X-rated influence
was definitely heard on their 1986 debut album
The 2 Live Crew...Is What We Are.
Now with Brother Marquis on board and Luke
pumping the crowd, 2 Live shook down Southern
dance floors with pornographic rhymes and vi-
brating ghetto bass on classic club bangers “Get
It Girl,” “Throw The Dick,” and everyone’s all-
time favorite “We Want Some Pussy.” Without
any major label backing or radio play, the album
went gold on the low.
However, along with the popularity of their X-
rated rap album came consequences. A Florida
record store clerk was hit with felony charges
(and later acquitted) after selling the album to
a 14-year-old girl in 1987. This prompted the
group to sell both clean and explicit versions of
their albums.
2 Live Crew is the reason for those must-have
parental advisory stickers that adorn most rap
albums today. The following year, a record store
in Alabama was fined for selling a copy of the
group’s sophomore album Move Somethin’ to an
undercover cop.
Shit really hit the fan with the group’s next
release, Nasty As They Wanna Be, in 1989.
The next year, Broward County sheriff Nick
Navarro secured a ruling from County Circuit
Court Judge Mel Grossman that the album was
legally obscene.
In an attempt to knock the group’s hustle,
Navarro threatened record store owners across
the country, informing them that they would be
subject to prosecution if they sold the album.
The group took a staggering blow in June 1989
when District Court Judge Jose Gonzalez ruled
that Nasty As They Wanna Be was obscene and
illegal to sell.
Just two days later, a record store owner was
booked for selling the album to an undercover
cop, and members of the 2 Live Crew were ar-
rested on obscenity charges for performing at a
local club. They were later acquitted, and the
record store owner’s conviction was overturned
on appeal.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the al-
bum caused sales to soar past 2 million. Shortly
after, music giant Atlantic Records signed Luke
and his label Luke Records to a distribution
deal. Their following major label album Banned
in the USA was a mainstream success. Billed as
Luke featuring 2 Live Crew, the album’s title
track was a reworking of Bruce Springsteen’s
American classic “Banned in the USA” and the
group’s second Top 40 hit.
On top of that, 2 Live Crew had the last laugh
when in 1992, the Court of Appeals in Atlanta
overturned Jose Gonzalez’s ruling that Nasty As
They Wanna Be was legally obscene. The Court
of Appeals’ decision was later upheld by the
Supreme Court.
Aside from winning court cases, 2 Live Crew’s
music was also becoming a staple in Southern
rap. In addition to placing a trademark on the
unmistakable sound of Miami bass, 2 Live was
also a building block for the foundations of
Atlanta booty-shake, rowdy Memphis angst,
sexually explicit lyrics, and provocative music
videos.
With stage shows typically comprised of over
a dozen naked strippers and videos that were
banned from mainstream outlets, 2 Live Crew
were pioneers of the sleazy, misogynistic graph-
ics and lyrics that we see in much of today’s
hip-hop. Long before Nelly’s “Tip Drill” or BET’s
“Uncut,” 2 Live Crew was encouraging women
to take it all off on the dance floor - and in
their videos.
Just throw in the group’s hit “Move Somethin’”
and watch the party get hype. Or slide on
Luke’s solo joint “H-B-C” and watch all the
fellas in the place reply to Luke’s question,
“Whatcha like, fellas?” with the answer, “Head,
booty, and cock!”
Without question, 2 Live Crew changed the
game. Regardless of how brash, sleazy, or erotic
the music may seem, 2 Live protected our First
Amendment rights to freedom of speech and
expression so we can be as nasty as we damn
well wanna be.
With their chest-pounding bass and piercing
snare, they gave future groups an instrumen-
tal lesson plan to follow. And with their gold
and platinum accolades, they created an
avenue for other Southern groups to follow
to shine on a national level.
Although the new school artists continue
to set trends and break down barriers,
2 Live Crew blazed the trail for their
path to stardom and success. Respect
your elders.

32 OZONE APR 2005

 Words Matt Sonzala

Greatest Southern Artists of all Time

# 01
GETO BOYS/SCARFACE
5 ESSENTIAL GETO BOYS TRACKS
Geto Boys “Mind of a Lunatic” Grip It! On That Other Level 1989
Them boys have always been insane. This cut showed where the Geto Boys’ heads
were at back in the early days.

Geto Boys “Let a Hoe be a Hoe” Grip It! On That Other Level 1989
This Willie D solo is the precursor to all the songs that later came out talking about
not falling in love with and/or saving hoes.

Geto Boys “Mind Playin’ Tricks On Me” We Can’t Be Stopped 1991

This timeless classic brought the reality of the dope game to life.

Geto Boys “World is a Ghetto” The Resurrection 1996

They discussed their reach throughout the world on this record, but never really
capitalized on it. This one really was a hit all over the world.

Geto Boys “Yes Yes Y’all” The Foundation 2005

With this 2005 release, the Geto Boys proved that nearly twenty years after their (l to r) Scarface,
formation, they’re still wreckin’. Bushwick Bill, and
Willie D

B
ack in 1986, when the world was still fix-
ated on New York City as the hip-hop mec-
ca and quite possibly the only place where
hip-hop could even exist, a group of individuals
in Houston, Texas were laying the groundwork
for an eventual takeover. In a ramshackle little
office overlooking one of the many car lots that
populated North Shepherd Drive on the border
of the Heights section of their city, an empire
was born. This independent empire would
change the face of hip-hop music forever.
Long before the South was even on the hip-
hop radar, a man named James Smith - a.k.a.
J Prince - was quietly preparing for an entire
cultural shift. His work went largely unrecog-
nized for years, but as evidenced in 2005, the
emergence of one group changed the course of
hip-hop music. That group was the Geto Boys.
With their controversial rhymes, firebrand pro-
duction, and fiercely independent spirit, the rap
game shifted. While the industry is still primar-
ily controlled by New York based major labels,
the Geto Boys paved the way for Southern boys
in the hood to make their money - legitimately.
Rap-A-Lot Records was one of the first truly
independent labels to make noise on a major
scale in the rap world. That noise can largely be
attributed to three men.
The Geto Boys were not always comprised of
Willie D, Scarface, and Bushwick Bill, but when
this combination came together in 1988, the
steamroller that is Southern rap started chug-
ging away. Their first release as a unit, Grip It!
On That Other Level, took the gangsta rap real-
ity tales first laid by NWA to a whole ‘nother
level, literally. Anything out of bounds for the
boys from Compton was fair game for the
boys from Houston. Suddenly, no topic was
untouchable. Their taboo tales lit a fire un-
der the ass of the hip-hop nation, and a new
subgenre was born: Southern rap.
Grip It! attracted the attention of Rick
Rubin, who had recently left his post
at Def Jam Records (the label he co-
founded with Russell Simmons) to start
his own Def American imprint. Rubin
had helped launch the careers of artists like LL
Cool J and the Beastie Boys, and left to work
with dark heavy metal bands like Slayer and
Danzig. For him, bringing the Geto Boys into the
picture was a natural progression. Their stark,
gritty, sometimes grotesque tales of the inner
city streets of Houston fit well with Slayer’s
macabre stories of the underworld and even
recent Def American signee Andrew Dice Clay’s
off-color comedy.
However, regardless of Rubin’s intentions, Def
American’s distributor Geffen Records was
not ready to take the plunge. Geffen labeled
the Geto Boys’ record too obscene to print or
distribute. Def American was left holding a
hip-hop classic, the Geto Boys self-titled major
label debut (which was really just a remastered
version of Grip It!) with no way to distribute it.
After some legal finagling, the record was even-
tually released through another distributor and
made major waves.
After all the controversy and frustration of
dealing with the majors, Rap-A-Lot brought the
boys back home to work on what would be their
crowning release.
Released in 1991, We Can’t Be Stopped featured
the unforgettable cover image of a freshly shot
Bushwick Bill removing the bandage from the
socket where his eye once laid, with Scarface
and Willie D pushing him down the hospital
hallway. The album produced the group’s big-
gest hit, “Mind Playin’ Tricks on Me.” An instant
classic, it was the introspective story of three
paranoid hood characters determined to escape
the psychosis that comes with living a less-than-
upstanding life on the streets.
The Geto Boys weren’t ballin’ out of control,
ruling the streets with reckless abandon, or
fucking the hoes on this track. They were
talking about the other side of the game; the
paranoia that comes along with and sometimes
eclipses the ill-gotten adoration and money.
“Mind Playin’ Tricks on Me” was of the realest
depictions of street life ever heard on a record.
It broke worldwide, taking the Geto Boys - and
Southern rap - to heights no one had previously
imagined.
Unfortunately, the Boys never really capital-
ized on their new-found fame and glory. They
rarely toured, never left the United States,
and didn’t realize that they were well on their
way to becoming one of the most recognizable
groups in rap.
Internal conflicts and struggles, as well as the
ultra-paranoia described in “Mind Playin’ Tricks
on Me,” ultimately took its toll on the group.
Soon after, lead writer Willie D left and was
replaced by Big Mike, a former member of the
Convicts. The Geto Boys released their fourth
album, the inappropriately titled Til Death Do
Us Part. In reality, it was the third incarnation
of the Geto Boys.
Til Death Do Us Part spawned the underground
hits “Straight Gangsterism” and “Crooked Of-
ficer,” but the chemistry didn’t fall back into
place until the trio reformed with Willie D in
1996. They released another album, The Resur-
rection, which contained hit single “The World
is a Ghetto.” The Geto Boys were household
names once again.
Even after the success of “The World is a Ghet-
to,” internal controversies once again forced
them apart. Bushwick Bill stepped away from
the group, leaving Willie D and Scarface to re-
cord 1998’s Da Good, Da Bad, and Da Ugly. The
record was ultimately disappointing, plagued
with guest appearances that seemed forced.
Widely regarded as the “King of the South,”
Scarface also has numerous solo albums to his
credit. Although still underrated as a lyricist,
his releases spanning more than a decade are
considered hip-hop classics.
After a seven-year hiatus, the Geto Boys re-
formed and released the new classic CD The
Foundation to critical acclaim in early 2005.
Could it be that now, 17 years after their in-
ception, the Geto Boys will finally get their just
recognition as the greatest Southern artists of
all time?

OZONE APR 2005 33

 01: Green Lantern and Kay Slay @
Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC)
02: Chingo Bling and Grandaddy Souf
@ The Core DJs conference (Miami,
FL)
03: Pitbull and a young fan @
Calle Ocho (Miami, FL)
04: Big Tuck of DSR and Magno
reppin’ OZONE @ SXSW (Austin,
TX)
05: Pretty Rickie & the Maverix
with DJ Pat Pat and Scrappy
(Ft. Myers, FL)
06: Chamillionaire and OG
Ron C @ Justo’s Mixtape
Awards (NYC)
07: Da BackWudz reppin’
OZONE @ Greg Street’s car
show (Atlanta, GA)
08: Slim Thug and Yung
Redd @ SXSW (Austin, TX)
09: Tango Redd reppin’
OZONE @ Greg Street’s
car show (Atlanta, GA)
10: Samson and Buggah @
Wildsplash (Clearwater,
FL)
11: B.G. and his manager
Anthony Murray @ C-
Murder’s video shoot
(New Orleans, LA)
12: Tupac’s sister Set
Shakur showing off her
clothing line Madamev-
elli @ Compound for
the Oscar viewing party
for Tupac: Resurrection
(Atlanta, GA)
13: Mr. Mauricio reppin’
OZONE @ Funkshon
(Miami, FL)
14: Lyfe reppin’ OZONE
@ KMJJ (Shreveport,
LA)
15: Kamikaze and Big
V of the Nappy Roots @
Birdland (Jackson, MS)
16: Webbie and Bun B
@ Webbie’s video shoot
(Baton Rouge, LA)
17: Don P of Trillville, Lil
Jon, David Banner, and
L.A. of Trillville reppin’
Crunk Juice @ Stankonia
(Atlanta, GA)
18: Young Cash and Mike
Jones reppin’ OZONE
(Orlando, FL)
19: DJ Nasty, Pitbull, Mar-
lon, Cubo, and Big Earl @
Firestone (Orlando, FL)
20: Saigon, Gotti and the
Abandoned Nation family @
BB King’s for Justo’s Mixtape
Awards (NYC)
21: George Lopez and Killa
Kyleon @ SXSW (Austin, TX)

Photo Credits:
Al-My-T: #14
George Lopez: #04
Jaro Vacek: #15
Julia Beverly: #01,03,06,07,
08,09,10,17,18,19,20,21
King Yella: #16
Marcus Jethro: #11
Pat Pat: #05
Teach: #13
TJ Chapman: #02

6 OZONE APR 2005

 01: White Boi Pizal, Tony C, Smoke D,
Kamikaze, P Boy Stone, and Marcus.
on the set of David Banner’s “Ain’t
Got Nothin’” (Los Angeles, CA)
02: C-Bone Jones and the Outlawz
@ Compound for the Oscar view-
ing party for Tupac: Resurrection
(Atlanta, GA)
03: Cavario and Dramills reppin’
OZONE @ BB King’s for Justo’s
Mixtape Awards (NYC)
04: KG Mosley and 3rd Leg
Greg @ Wildsplash (Clearwa-
ter, FL)
05: Karl and friends reppin’
On Tha Real Magazine @
SXSW (Austin, TX)
06: D-Roc, Neil H., Morgan
Smith, DJ Quote, and TJ
Chapman @ The Tudor for
The CORE DJs conference
(Miami, FL)
07: Double E, Mercedes,
and Big Al @ Icon (Or-
lando, FL)
08: Doug E Fresh and
Mike Jones @ Warmer’s
Wireless Conference
(New Orleans, LA)
09: Beenie Man and
Nicole Robinson (New
Orleans, LA)
10: Adept and Pitbull
@ DJ Nasty’s birthday
party (Orlando, FL)
11: Marcus Jethro and
Nas @ Hot 104.5 (New
Orleans, LA)
12: Brooke Valentine
and Greg G @ Icon
(Orlando, FL)
13: Sean Starr and Limp
Bizkit’s John Otto @
Firestone (Orlando, FL)
14: Darlene, Kanye
West, and Freda (New
Orleans, LA)
15: Swizz Beatz and
Common @ BB King’s for
Justo’s Mixtape Awards
(NYC)
16: Tito, Chino, Gaby,
and Adept @ Firestone
for DJ Nasty’s birthday
party (Orlando, FL)
17: Jazze Pha’s father
James Alexander, David
Banner, Ray Fleming,
Deanie Parker, and Jazze
Pha @ Stax Soul Music
Museum (Memphis, TN)
18: Treal reppin’ Orange
County @ Tropical Magic
(Orlando, FL)
19: Ness, P. Diddy, and The
Game @ Justo’s Mixtape
Awards (NYC)
20: Hump and Chingo Bling @
SXSW (Austin, TX)
21: Krazy and friends @ Wild-
splash (Clearwater, FL)

Photo Credits:
Donna Premell: #02
Greg G: #07,12
Julia Beverly: #03,04,05,10,
13,15,16,17,18,19,20,21
Marcus Jethro: #08,09,11,14
TJ Chapman: #01,06

8 OZONE APR 2005

 Slim Goodye’s attention-grabbing
16 bars are fast becoming a mixt
Whether it’s his effortless flow or ape favorite in the Central Flori
wicked punchlines (“I gave more da area.
actin’ like a hoe or somethin’ and chicks nuts than a flight attendan
I’m lovin’ it / How you wifey and t,” “She
grab your attention, one thing is don’t even know my government?”
sure - he’s got potential. Born in ) that
at the University of Missouri. Rath the Bronx, Slim was once a basketba
er than pursuing a career as a prof ll star
Orlando “for the weather” and essional athlete, Slim moved dow
settled into the street life. He’d n to
but never taken it seriously. “The always known he had a knack for
n I started seeing all these garb rapping,
they getting paid to rap, I can get age rappers coming out,” he laug
paid to rap!” Judging from his lyric hs. “If
“peanut-butter Porsches” roll off s, he’s already getting paid, as tales
his tongue. Fact or ficton? “I’ve of
explains. “It’s gonna happen; I alrea got one song called ‘True Fantasy,’
dy see it happening in front of my ” Slim
aren’t enough to secure fame and face.” These days, killer punchline
fortune, but Slim’s confident in s
lines are my strong point, but it’s his skills as an all-around rapper.
nothing for me to put together a “Punch-
easy. I could go in the studio and song ,” he says. “It’s a talent for me;
make a song in 25 minutes, hook it’s
Goodye: Da Young Mobsta, is alrea and everything.” His first mixtape,
dy earning him rave reviews. In it, Slim
a Boss,” proclaiming, “I’m the real he boldly rhymes over Slim Thug
muthafuckin’ boss.” Only time will ’s “LIke
someone you’d want to battle lyric tell, Slim Goodye doesn’t sound
ally (contact info: Malik @ 407- like
Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com 227- 8460). - Photo and words by Julia

chances are you’ve heard Maceo’s infectious

If you’ve tuned into any Atlanta radio station in the past month,
another everyday saying that’s been turned into a hit song by a
club single “Go Sit Down” repeatedly. It’s yet
and we had gone through about three or four dif-
crunk Atlanta artist. “Our producer Jamon made the beat,
and really weren’t feeling any of them. My younger brother used to always say ‘Hoe, sit down’
ferent hooks
during our downtim e, so that ended up being the hook,” Maceo explains. Maceo
while we were fuckin’ around
of noise in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. He compares
and his entire QuickFlip clique are making plenty
Money, and is quick to point out that they aren’t
their “damn good chemistry” to the sounds of vintage Cash
crunk anthems like “Sit Down.” He’s got two mixtape s in the streets right now to prove
limited to creating
Maceo is preparing his full-length album
his versatility. While creating a buzz with radio and mixtape play,
“You can expect some jammin’-ass music from this album,”
Straight Out the Pot to be released this summer.
to the street life,
he says confidently. He plans to follow-up “Sit Down” with an ode
in Atlanta] right
“For My Hustla’s.” “Man, it feels good [to have the hottest record
that I’m doing the right things to be successf ul. I just
now. It just lets me know
will continue.
gotta work harder than what I did to get to this point, and the success
your music, you’ll
As long as you stay down with the people that support you and
says. Sounds like Maceo’s already got the game figured out. – Wally
be fine,” he
Sparks/JB (Photo: JB)

Paying industry dues can make or break an artist. Fortunately for

J Records’ recording artist Smitty, paying
his dues gave him strength and determination. Many people would
be surprised to learn that Smitty is a well-
known artist within the industry, having ghostwritten for the likes
of Dr. Dre and Truth Hurts. Even P. Diddy’s
verse on Nelly’s “Shake Ya Tailfeather” was written by Miami’s “Little
Haiti” champion lyricist. “I never want-
ed to rush into the game as a starving artist with my hand out, begging,
” explains Smitty. “When people have
to pay you, they always question your worth. The fact that I played
a key role in such successful projects
adds instant credibility. Now, people know I have something to
offer - I can make them money!” This must
be true, since his debut album Definition of a N.I.G.G.A. is loaded
with big money production. Jazze Pha,
Kanye West, and Swizz Beatz are all contributors, and Mannie Fresh
produced his current street single, “One
Time.” The single is in heavy rotation on underground radio and
mixtapes throughout the South,
and Smitty plans to come back with a radio-friendly joint, the Swizz
Beatz-produced
“Diamonds on My Neck.” Smitty takes pride in his versatility. Artists
like Jamie Foxx,
Lord Finesse, and Scarface can all vouch for his skills. “Different
producers and artists
love working with me becuase they know I understand the concept
of making a song,”
Smitty theorizes. “My experience in songwriting gives me that edge.”
The muscle of a
major label seems to be the last piece of the puzzle for Smitty,
who’s poised to take
the industry by storm. - Leaton Reid, koalintl@gmail.com (Photo:
JB)
 01: Mr. Magic, Trouble, and Lil Boosie
on the set of David Banner’s “Ain’t
Got Nothin’” (Los Angeles, CA)
02: Murda One Sound reppin’
OZONE @ Tabu Nightclub (Orlando,
FL)
03: DJ Affect and DJ Entice @
Funkshon (Miami, FL)
04: Spoil’d Rotten, Pupp, and
Joe Anthony @ The Core DJs
conference (Miami, FL)
05: Garnett Reid, Hell Rell,
and Juelz Santana @ Firestone
for DJ Nasty’s birthday party
(Orlando, FL)
06: 216 @ BB King’s for
Justo’s Mixtape Awards
(NYC)
07: Trillville and Jigga JT
@ Warner Music Group’s
Wireless Conference (New
Orleans, LA)
08: Pitbull and the Crunk
Juice models @ Calle
Ocho (Miami, FL)
09: Sabai Burnett rep-
pin’ OZONE @ Funkshon
(Miami, FL)
10: Lyfe and Al-My-T @
KMJJ (Shreveport, LA)
11: Anthony Hamilton
and Jigga JT @ Hot
104.5 (New Orleans, LA)
12: Peedi Crakk and Lil
Skrilla @ The Core DJs
conference (Miami, FL)
13: Mike Jones and DJ
Chill reppin’ OZONE @
Konnections (Houston,
TX)
14: Black Thought
of The Roots reppin’
OZONE @ Wildsplash
(Clearwater, FL)
15: Marlon, Stat Quo,
and DJ Nasty @ Fire-
stone for DJ Nasty’s
birthday party (Orlando,
FL)
16: Latin Prince, Clinton
Sparks, and Tony Neal @
The Core DJs conference
(Miami, FL)
17: Pastor Troy, Greg
Street, and Big Oomp @
Greg Street’s car show
(Atlanta, GA)
18: Trae and Z-Ro @ SXSW
(Austin, TX)
19: Wayne Wonder and 411
TV @ Wildsplash (Clearwa-
ter, FL)
20: Che Boogie, Gully,
Saigon, Big Black, Gotti, and
Tory outside Club Exit (NYC)
21: Byron, Brooke Valentine,
and Orlando @ Wildsplash
(Clearwater, FL)

Photo Credits:
Al-My-T: #10
DJ Chill: #13
Julia Beverly: #05,06,08,14,
15,17,18,19,20,21
Lil Skrilla: #12
Malik Abdul: #02
Marcus Jethro: #07,11
Teach: #03,09
TJ Chapman: #01,04,16

10 OZONE APR 2005

 01: Crunk Energy Drink’s bodypainted
models @ Calle Ocho (Miami, FL)
02: Z-Ro reppin’ OZONE @ SXSW
(Austin, TX)
03: J-Bo of the YoungBloodz,
Pitbull, and Big Duke of Boyz N Da
Hood @ Firestone (Orlando, FL)
04: TJ Chapman, Mr. Magic, and
FLX on the set of David Banner’s
“Ain’t Got Nothin’” (Los Ange-
les, CA)
05: Tony Neal and DJ Dime-
piece (Los Angeles, CA)
06: J-Dawg, Rube, and Greg G
@ Icon (Orlando, FL)
07: Baby Bash and DJ Pat Pat
(Ft. Myers, FL)
08: What would you do for
OZONE Magazine and Crunk
Juice? (Orlando, FL)
09: Maceo reppin’ OZONE
@ Greg Street’s car show
(Atlanta, GA)
10: Mario reppin’ OZONE
@ Wildsplash (Clearwater,
FL)
11: Bizmarkie and Boris
Kudjoe (New Orleans,
LA)
12: Eddie from the Missy
Elliot show with Big Earl
(Orlando, FL)
13: Pitbull making love
to Crunk @ Uncle Luke’s
bachelor party (Los
Angeles, CA)
14: Supa Cindy and Lisa
Lisa reppin’ OZONE @
Funkshon (Miami, FL)
15: L-Boogie, John
Legend, and Nicole
Robinson @ Hot 104.5
(New Orleans, LA)
16: Mister Cee inter-
viewing P. Diddy while
Kevin Liles and Young
City look on @ Justo’s
Mixtape Awards (NYC)
17: PaulWall, Juvenile,
and UTP @ Warner Wire-
less Conference (New
Orleans, LA)
18: Jazze Pha, his father
James Alexander, and Da-
vid Banner admiring Isaac
Hayes’ Cadillac @ the
Stax Soul Music Museum
(Memphis, TN)
19: D-Strong, DJ Nasty,
and Juelz Santana @ Fires-
tone (Orlando, FL)
20: Malik Abdul, Slim
Goodye, and Omar @ Tropi-
cal Magic (Orlando, FL)
21: DJ Killatone and DJ EFN
@ Justo’s Mixtape Awards
(NYC)

Photo Credits:
Big Earl: #12
Greg G: #06
JC Crunk: #13
Julia Beverly: #01,02,03,09,
10,16,18,19,20,21
Malik Abdul: #08
Marcus Jethro: #11,15,17,
Pat Pat: #07
Teach: #14
TJ Chapman: #04,05

12 OZONE APR 2005

(916) Magazine / The Yay ACE Magazine Block 2 Block Magazine Check out other indie magazines online at
Sacramento, CA West Palm Beach, FL Grand Prairie, TX
www.the916.com 772-332-7979 214-597-0883 www.MAGCOALITION.com
916-452-2482 www.acemagonline.com block2blockonline.com

Don Diva Magazine Exposure Magazine F.E.D.S. Magazine Frosty’s Flava The Grind Magazine Grooveline Magazine Hater Magazine
New York, NY Chicago, IL New York, NY Miami, FL Miami, FL Grambling, LA Houston, TX
877-366-3482 847-366-8915 1369 Madison Ave #406 www.frostysflava.com 305-804-4188 groovelinemag.com www.hatermagazine.com
www.exposuremagazines.com NY, NY 10128 thegrindmagazine@yahoo.com 318-803-0450

Tha Hole Magazine Holla Magazine Iceberg Magazine Industri Magazine The Juice Magazine Murder Dog Magazine Neo Magazine
Huntsville, AL Atlanta, GA Jacksonville, FL Houston, TX Atlanta, GA Los Angeles, CA Atlanta, GA
256-652-0804 www.hollamag.com icebergmag.com www.theindustri.com 866-34-JUICE 707-553-1850 neomagmail@hotmail.com
www.thahole.com 770-438-0112 904-472-5711 866-309-9997 thejuicemagazine.net www.murderdog.com 404-806-1480

New Power Magazine Next Level Magazine Owners Illustrated Mag OZONE Magazine Rude Magazine Seaspot Magazine Showcase Magazine
Columbus, MS New York, NY Washington, DC Orlando, FL New Orleans, LA Seattle, WA Los Angeles, CA
662-251-0075 thenextlevelmagazine.com 202-607-3629 407-447-6063 504-246-1491 206-320-SPOT 510-481-3080
newpowermagazine.com ownersillustrated.com www.ozonemag.com seaspotmediagroup.com

Streetz Magazine Strip Joint Magazine That’s What’s Up Urban Living Magazine Urban Pages Magazine UrbLife Magazine Xplosive Magazine
Virginia Miami, FL Miami, FL Nashville, TN Charleston, SC Montgomery, AL San Francisco, CA
800-770-1078 954-447-7246 954-733-3613 615-497-5036 urbanpagesmag@aol.com 334-799-9773 925-427-9330
www.streetzmag.com urbanlivingmag.com 843-747-5131 xplosivemagazine@hotmail.com
 01: Kaspa and the ladies of Dulo Mar-
keting & Promotions @ Greg Street’s
car show (Atlanta, GA)
02: Scooby of the G.R.i.T. Boys, Lil
Ron, Lil Ron, Yung Redd, DJ Chill,
and Big Jig of the GhostWriters @
SXSW (Austin, TX)
03: Trillville and Pimp J @ Tropi-
cal Magic (Orlando, FL)
04: The Outlawz and Trea
Davenport @ Compound for the
Oscar viewing party for Tupac:
Resurrection (Atlanta, GA)
05: The CORE DJs conference
(Miami, FL)
06: Jazze Pha and David
Banner @ The Peabody
(Memphis, TN)
07: Q and friends reppin’
Ms Cherry’s OZONE cover @
The CORE DJs conference
(Miami, FL)
08: Ludacris and Juve-
nile bling-blingin’ (New
Orleans, LA)
09: Swizz Beatz and Justo
@ BB King’s for Justo’s
Mixtape Awards (NYC)
10: Smoke D and Kami-
kaze reppin’ Pimp C on
the video set of David
Banner’s “Ain’t Got
Nothin’” (Los Angeles,
CA)
11: Bumpy J and Lil
Skrilla @ The CORE DJs
conference (Miami, FL)
12: PaulWall and DJ
Chill reppin’ OZONE
@ Club Konnections
(Houston, TX)
13: DJ Nasty and Chino
@ Firestone (Orlando,
FL)
14: P. Diddy and The
Game @ Justo’s Mixtape
Awards (NYC)
15: Green Lantern and
DJ Vlad @ Justo’s Mix-
tape Awards (NYC)
16: Sandman, DJ Ritz,
and DJ Knuckles reppin’
OZONE @ Wildsplash
(Clearwater, FL)
17: Nasty Beatmakers:
LVM and DJ Nasty @ Fires-
tone (Orlando, FL)
18: DSR and George Lopez
reppin’ OZONE @ SXSW
(Austin, TX)
19: The Lumberjacks’
Khujo and T-Mo with DJ
Jelly @ Greg Street’s car
show (Atlanta, GA)
20: Crunk Juice models
with Jimmy Chocolate and
Lex Promotions @ Calle Ocho
(Miami, FL)
21: Slim Thug and Killa Kyleon
@ SXSW (Austin, TX)

Photo Credits:
DJ Chill: #12
Donna Premell: #04
Julia Beverly: #01,02,03,06,09,
13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21
Lil Skrilla: #11
Marcus Jethro: #08
TJ Chapman: #05,07,10

14 OZONE APR 2005

 01: Tampa Tony, Grandaddy Souf,
BloodRaw, and Big Mook @ TJ’s DJ’s
(Tallahassee, FL)
02: The YoungBloodz and DJ Nasty
reppin’ OZONE @ Firestone (Or-
lando, FL)
03: Mr. Cree with the GhostWrit-
ers G. Lavacci and Big Jig reppin’
OZONE @ SXSW (Austin, TX)
04: Lil Skrilla and DJ Quote
@ The CORE DJs conference
(Miami, FL)
05: Al-My-T, Doramus, and
Lester Pace reppin’ OZONE
@ Doramus’ album release
party (Memphis, TN)
06: H Vidal, Slim Thug, DJ
Chase, and Zulu @ WBTP
(Tampa, FL)
07: Master P and Westside
Al Kapone (Jackson, MS)
08: Mad Linx reppin’
OZONE @ Justo’s Mixtape
Awards (NYC)
09: Discovering Memphis
co-hosts Candice Higgins
and Sheba Potts-Wright
reppin’ OZONE @ Do-
ramus’ album release
party (Memphis, TN)
10: JC Crunk crashes
with a model after Calle
Ocho (Miami, FL)
11: Kwame reppin’
OZONE @ Justo’s Mix-
tape Awards (NYC)
12: Marcus Jethro and
Ruben Studdard (New
Orleans, LA)
13: DJ Sao, Tone, and
Big Z @ The CORE DJs
conference (Miami, FL)
14: Pitbull gets his
freak on @ Uncle Luke’s
bachelor party (Los
Angeles, CA)
15: P. Diddy showing
off his award @ Justo’s
Mixtape Awards (NYC)
16: Infamous Lil
Larry and Kadife @
Greg Street’s car show
(Atlanta, GA)
17: Juelz Santana and
Pitbull @ Firestone (Or-
lando, FL)
18: Khia and Big Mook @
TJ’s DJ’s (Tallahassee, FL)
19: Boyz N Da Hood show-
ing off their OZONE cover
@ Firestone (Orlando, FL)
20: Harold and Jay Love @
Icon (Orlando, FL)
21: Christina Clark and
Jeska Manrique @ The CORE
DJs conference (Miami, FL)

Photo Credits:
Al-My-T: #05,09
Big Mook: #01,18
Greg G: #20
H Vidal: #06
JC Crunk: #14
Julia Beverly: #02,03,08,10,11,
15,16,17,19
Lil Skrilla: #04
Marcus Jethro: #12
TJ Chapman: #13,21
Westside Al Kapone: #07

16 OZONE APR 2005

 Where are you from?
Ft. Myers, Florida. Everything I rap about is from the Ft. Myers perspective.
I wanna welcome everybody to Ft. Myers. The Florida music scene is all
fucked up right now. People in Florida don’t listen to Florida music. DJs in
Florida don’t play Florida music. But me, everything about me is Southern.

How did you start rapping? Was it something you dreamed of doing?
Naw, I ain’t got too many of them sad stories. My brother was in prison
and he kept talkin’ about fuckin’ with the music shit. I thought he was just
talkin’ crazy, but when he got out it was something he really wanted to
pursue. We were fuckin’ around in the studio and a lot of the concepts I was
comin’ up with, everybody was feeling. Once, I was tryin’ to tell a nigga
how to say the hook. My brother told me to say the hook in the booth,
and when I said it he told me to stay in there. Ever since then, last
year, the streets been fuckin’ with a nigga heavy. I ain’t really have no
aspirations of being an artist. I don’t really like to be considered an
artist. I don’t like to be labeled as a rapper, because rappers and nig-
gas in prison tell the most lies. I’m a fan of the truth. Most of the shit
that I hear ain’t really about the truth. The only thing I can do is bring
my pen and pull this shit out from life experiences. Right now, the streets are
telling me that I’m one of the few niggas out here that’s bringing the truth.

What methods did you use to get your album out there?
Good music gains legs. It’s real easy to find out if you got a hit or not. The streets
gon’ tell you what you got, and that’s the format we used. We got a good little
pipeline of niggas I dump music off to: Billy an’ Cool Runnings in Jacksonville,
Tight Work in Gainesville, DJ Secret in Polk County, Goodie in the Miami area,
and Clay D up in Orlando.

How did you get your deal with Slip-N-Slide Records?

We had a helluva - well, I don’t like to use the term buzz, cause that means you
ain’t did shit yet - but we had a following in Ft. Myers. We had a few songs out,
like “Tell Them Crackers That” and “Fix It,” and the feedback was crazy. [Slip-N-
Slide CEO Ted “Touche” Lucas] got ahold of our record down there in Miami, and
he sent one of his A&Rs over here to get us to come down and fuck with him. That
was about seven or eight months ago.

Why did you decide to sign with Slip-N-Slide?

Me and my brother sat down and talked, and it’s like, if we were gonna jump
onto another indie I wanted to be on a label that’s a reflection of the type
of music I’d be making. All of Slip-N-Slide’s music has been on some street
shit. Plus, if they been in the game for ten years and their office is still on
South Beach where they probably payin’ 5 G’s a month for rent, they must
still have it together.

What’s the status of your album at this point?

We got an album already knocked out. One thing I hate about this music
shit is that I can’t move when I wanna move. Everything’s a process. Ev-
erything has to be mapped out. At this point, Trick’s album is out of the
way, and Trina’s finishing her shit up, so we’re next. We just got a blue-
print we’re working on. We’ll continue to feed the streets with a lot of
underground shit.

What’s your next project?

I got a big mixtape that I’ll be dropping for Black College Reunion. It’s
hosted by Billy [from Cool Runnings] and it’s called Thirty Six Ounces.
That’s a whole brick, for people who don’t know what the fuck I’m talk-
ing about. Hit me up at www.slipnsliderecords.net or 239-878-0089.

Rude Bwoy Entertainment, owned and operated by Jullian Andres

Boothe, is currently releasing Pitbull’s album Welcome to the 305,
consisting of unreleased tracks. The complilation features the smash
single “Down South,” featuring Plies and Duece Poppi, as well as the
reggaetone hit “Playa Haters.” The album also has updated produc-
tion by Unusual Suspects, Taz, AOD Productions, and a hot upcom-
ing produced named Elian. A video is coming soon for the “Playa
Haters” remix featuring Trivales and Cubo. The album also features
Trina, Lost Tribe, Cubo, Fezzy, Shauna K, Brian Bizz, Jackie, and
Trivales.

305 Music is giving new talent in Miami a chance to shine. The label’s
future plans include production deals and management deals for
other upcoming dancehall, reggaetone, R&B, and rap artists.

18 OZONE APR 2005


Words & photo Julia Beverly
In the past year, Pitbull has transformed from a local Miami hero to
national Cuban representative. His official debut album, M.I.A.M.I.
(Money is a Major Issue), is certified gold, but he hasn’t stopped hit-
ting the streets with his underground Unleashed mixtape series.
Pit’s so popular right now that a Miami label, Rudebwoy Entertain-
ment in association with 305 Music, has put together an album of
some of his previously unreleased material. The album, Welcome to
the 305, will be released this May. Although Pit is contractually obli-
gated to TVT and legally unable to discuss the album, we checked in
with him to find out what life is like as a star.
So your album is gold now, right?
Thank God for that. And “Toma” is about to take off. The video just
started playing. It’s gonna be the new joint of the day on 106th & Park
tomorrow, so that’s huge for me.
What’s changed for you over the past year?
The deeper you get in this game, the more bullshit you gotta deal
with. More money, more problems. You really start to see how greedy
people are and how money affects relationships. Anybody that knows
me knows that I’m still the same dude. I’m out here working, grinding.
There ain’t no big changes in my life, other than my family’s lifestyle.
Thank God I’m able to provide for them. Around you, though, every-
thing changes, from the fans to the people within your own circle.
Any major purchases in the last year?
Property. I bought two apartments in Miami and I’m on my way upstate
to buy more property. That’s all I give a fuck about: property. Soon it’s
gonna be Pitbull Real Estate.
I heard you have a shoe deal coming up with Reebok?
Yeah, we’ve got Reebok and Nike on board. We’re trying to figure out
who we’re gonna go with. We did some test things with Reebok just to
show them we had a market, so now they wanna mess with me or what-
ever. We just gotta work it out. Not money wise, but movement wise.
My movement is a little different because I’m able to touch two differ-
ent worlds and jump in and out of them. Today, they’re really starting
to see the power of Latinos. They see me as a marketing tool.
What similarities do you see between Latin culture and hip-hop
culture?
It’s a lot of similarities. It all comes down to one struggle, and I think
that’s what brings hip-hop together. Everybody has struggled to get
what they want in life, and that’s what makes everybody relate to each
other. We love music, basically. Music is the universal language. When
you’ve got records like “Toma” or “Culo,” some people don’t know
what the fuck they mean. People are still dancing together; that’s what
breaks down barriers and makes the music bigger.
Speaking of “Toma,” can you translate the Spanish words in that
record for us?
The hook to “Toma” basically means, “Crazy girl, come here, move it,
move it / You want me to eat you? Open your legs.”
Do radio stations edit Spanish words?
I think you used to get away with a lot more, but ever since “Culo”
came out they’ve been watching what I say. When you see the “Toma”
video, you’ll notice that they pulled out a bunch of words.
Besides promoting your album, what other projects are you work-
ing on?
We’re gonna drop Unleashed Vol. 5 and then I’m gonna move onto
something else. We’re doing more mixtapes and a DVD. I’m doing a
bunch of shit this year. I’m also promoting P. Diddy’s new Bad Boy line.
It’s me, T.I., and Lil Wayne. I think lyrically, T.I. and Wayne are really
putting it down for the South, so it’s an honor for them to throw me
in the same class. That just goes to show that I’m putting it down for
Miami in a different way. My roots are in booty music, but my move-
ment is different. I can jump on a reggaetone track or a crunk track,
so I don’t want people to just look at me as a bootyshaking artist. I
might do a record like “Toma,” but I’ve still got four mixtapes out there
that’ll show you what else I can do.
Do you think reggaetone will blow up commercially?
I think they need to throw somebody out there as the king of regga-
etone. Booty music had Luke and crunk has Lil Jon, so they need a king.
I’m blessed to be able to jump on some reggaetone tracks, but I’m not
a reggaetone artist. Puerto Rico holds that torch.
OZONE APR 2005 19

Where are you from?
Bay-Dilla: I grew up in Alaska.
A-Sun: I’m from Rochester, New York.
Dead Serious: I’m from Augusta but I’ve lived in Atlanta for ten years.
How did Out Da Cutt Records get started?
Bay-Dilla: In 1999, me and my brother Wookie had a homeboy in Alaska
named Banana Red. He passed away a few years ago, and he had bought
a beat machine. We always talked about getting a studio, but we were
procrastinating. He bought the beat machine and we ended up buying all
this studio equipment. We were just learning how to make beats, messing
with it, and we came up with the idea to put out this group called Dem
Villains in 1999. It was me, my brother, Wookie, our man HC, Little T, Rob
Low, and Hot Rod. We were on some West coast gangsta rap shit.
Did you release the album in Alaska?
Bay-Dilla: Yeah, we put out three albums in Alaska. We were bouncing
back and forth to Atlanta, and that’s where we bumped into Magic B.
He’s my cousin from Rochester, and he’s a producer. He was like, “Yo,
Atlanta’s the move.” In 2001 we moved the studio down here. Then some
bullshit happened and my brother, my cousin, and my kid’s mom, they all
got locked up. We were getting it how we lived.
What was the independent label scene like in Alaska?
Bay-Dilla: It’s a lot of haters, but if they love you, they love you. We’ve
got Joker the Bailbondsman and the IE clique up there, and Mika and his
clique the AK 49ers. My boy Third Wall moved out to Kansas City.
What projects are you working on now?
Bay-Dilla: I’m about to put out my solo album, Up North D-Boy. Every-
body in Alaska’s been waiting for that for a while. My clique The Usual
Suspects is behind me, and their album is gonna do way better than the
last album. The first Usual Suspects album was a bunch of bullshit. We
had to cut some people off to separate the real from the fake.
A-Sun: Right now I got a couple joints done for my solo album, which will
be out sometime in 2005. It’s gonna change the game. I know they’re
tired of hearing everything watered down. Get ready, cause Out Da Cutt
22 OZONE APR 2005
Words Julia Beverly
Photos Eric Johnson
is bringing something new to the game. The streets are never gonna be
the same after we get done. Any real street nigga is gonna feel what I got
to say, cause it’s all real. Ain’t nothing made up. When I talk about dope
it’s because I sold it. When I talk about my guns, it’s because I really bust
‘em. It’s true stories.
When do you expect to drop the album?
Bay-Dilla: Be expecting a mixtape to promote the Usual Suspects and Up
North D-Boy by mid summer. I’m doing it indie, but me and my boy Joker
have been talking about doing some things together. We’re both from
Alaska tryin’ to get it. We got a lil’ buzz so we’re gonna shoot a couple
more videos and stuff. I got a couple people I hollered at once or twice,
but I ain’t wanna do nothing til my record sells. I don’t wanna go at a
major until we have a tremendous street buzz.
How did the Usual Suspects (A-Sun and Dead Serious) meet?
Bay-Dilla: A-Sun’s my cousin. He had got released from the Feds
about four years ago and my brother told him to come to Altanta. My
brother’s in jail, so I had to pick up where he left off. I’m gonna keep
my word to him, so I ain’t gonna have A-Sun down here in Atlanta
wasting time. We all know what could happen to somebody that’s been
in there, trying to get rich quick. They might end up right back in the
same predicament.
A-Sun: I decided to come down here and try something different. Bay
told me it was a chance to talk about what I’ve been through, you know,
the same trials and tribulations everybody goes through in the hood.
Bay-Dilla: Dead Serious is my man, I met him through Magic B. He’s just
do or die, he’s whatever. All he does is rap. That’s his life.
Why were you locked up?
A-Sun: Possession of a weapon and drug trafficking. Actually the first time
I ever rapped was in prison. Bay and them had just dropped their album
How We Roll Up North. I did the intro over the phone and it turned out to
be the hottest verse on there. I’ve been rapping ever since.
Why did you decide to name the label Out Da Cutt Records?
Bay-Dilla: When I tell people I’m from Alaska, they’re like, “Yeah, right,
nigga, you ain’t from Alaska.” And my man A-Sun, he’s from Rochester. A
lot of people ain’t really know they got artists poppin’ up every day from
Rochester, like Tweet and other artists that’s on 106th & Park. We’re just
trying to make our mark in Alaska and Atlanta.
People have a certain perception of Alaska, that it’s just a cold barren
place. Is that accurate?
Bay-Dilla: No. I’ll tell you this - four people got killed in ten days recent-
ly. Right now we had a short winter. All the ice was pretty much melted
by mid-March, so we’re already pullin’ out the whips on 22’s and trucks
on 24’s. In the summertime it doesn’t get dark in Alaska. It’s light 24
hours a day, literally. In the wintertime it might get dark at 6 PM, though.
It might get 35-40 degrees below zero.
Are you based in Atlanta now?
Bay-Dilla: My studio is down here in Decatur, Georgia, because this is
where I’ve lived for a year. I’ve been back and forth for four years. I’m
gonna open up another studio in Alaska so we’ll have Out Da Cutt North
and Out Da Cutt South.
Is your style more Southern now that you’re in Atlanta?
Bay-Dilla: My style is versatile. I’ve been to the West, East, North, and
South, and I sat back for the last three years and studied nigga’s raps.
When I step to the plate, I’m bringin’ the heat. I got
that d-boy music. I know everybody from the traps.
Most of the songs on this album are personal. I’ve
got a song called “Letter to My Family.” It’s three verses, and in each
one I’m talkin’ to somebody that went to jail. It’s been four years since
I rapped. I’m explaining to people where my brother is, I’m setting the
record straight. I’m puttin’ the A-Town stomp down on Alaska.
A-Sun: I got money in New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, and Atlanta, so I
fit in anywhere. I wouldn’t compare myself to nobody. I grew up listening
to the LOX, Jay-Z, and Master P. I like T.I. and Young Jeezy. People from
my hometown say I sound country, and people from Atlanta say I sound
like I’m from New York.
Dead Serious: I’m the only Southern guy out of the camp, so I’m the dirty
South guy with the real deep accent. I’m versatile, though. I’m more
than just a Southern rapper, but I am deeply rooted in the South. I’m way
beyond a Southern rapper. I’m a world rapper.
Are there any features on the album?
Bay-Dilla: “It’s Going Down” with Bun B and “Knuckle Up” with Killer
Mike. A-Sun and Dead Serious are featured on both of those songs also.
Anything else you want to say?
Bay-Dilla: Keep your eyes peeled for our producer Magic B. Atlanta, Flor-
ida, North, East, West, South, no matter where you go, everybody knows
Bay-Dilla. Shoutout to my 907 Gangstas: P-Nut, Little T, Killer Snake, Big
Cheese, Dub, and Lil Meze.
Dead Serious: Look out for Bay-Dilla, the Usual Suspects, Dead Serious,
Magic B, and A-Sun. My album is coming out in 2005. And I love OZONE
Magazine, too. I read every edition.
 PASTOR TROY
FACE OFF 2
Money & the Power/MADD Society
It’s always refreshing when an artist is
able to step outside their comfort zone
and challenge themselves. Outkast
have become legends by doing exactly
that. Pastor Troy’s new album, Face Off
2, ventures into unexplored territory.
Even though the Pastor has been known
to make the kind of music that you feel
deep down in your soul, this collection
of songs touches a different nerve.
After a haunting rendition of the clas-
sic Bone Thugs & Harmony “Ouija Are
You With Me” (appropriately retitled
“PT Are You With Me”) PT commences
the aural assault with “WWW (Who
Wan War)”. It’s the classic Pastor Troy
war cry over a real European-sound-
ing track. It’s a great balance of hard
rhymes over a softer beat.
Next, we have the Pastor Troy we’ve
grown to love with his classic under-
ground single “Murda Man,” where
he takes a shot at the reigning King
of crunk, Lil Jon (“Lil Jon used to be
my homie, used to be my ace / Now I
wanna slap the taste out your mouth”).
Dr. Dre must be so proud.
Although this album does include the
prerequisite booty club songs, get
crunk in the club songs, and I’m-gon-
fuck-a-nigga-up songs, the shining
moment is the cut “Acid Rain (In Loving
Memory of Kurt Cobain)” with featured
vocals from Sky. There’s magic that
happens when Pastor Troy’s voice is
paired with electric guitars. His voice
lets us hear the raw emotion in the
vocals. The album is worth purchasing
for this song alone.
True Pastor Troy fans have nothing to
worry about, though. I can’t really
see Pastor Disaster flippin’ the script
anytime soon and going the heavy
metal route. Outside of the hilarious
Pimpin’ Ken interlude and the Kurt
Cobain tribute, the best moment on
the disc is the last record, the drum &
bass joint “Keep On Movin’.” This song
features a nice sampled hook from the
Soul II Soul classic of the same name.
I don’t think any of these “crunk” era
artists have the nuts to try something
like that, let alone pull it off. I strongly
suggest picking this one up to add to
your collection.
- Wally Sparks, wally@ozonemag.com
28 OZONE APR 2005
PIMP C
SWEET JAMES JONES STORIES
Rap-A-Lot/Asylum
Before I begin, let’s get this dis-
claimer out of the way: In my eyes,
Pimp C can do no wrong. I feel that
he is the epitome of all Southern
rap artists, and I will argue with you
to high noon if you disagree with
me. I might even resort to calling
your immediate family horrendously
degrading names if need be to prove
my point is valid.
Anyway, let’s get on to the review of
the new Pimp C album, Sweet James
Jones Stories. Here we have 14
tracks of old-school Pimp C rhymes
cut and pasted over some dope new
beats. There’s also some newer
unheard beats that may have been
recorded recently. It’s hard to tell if
some of these Pimp C masters were
outtakes from the UGK masters like
the posthumous Tupac catalog, or
poorly recorded new verses spliced
in to create brand new songs.
Either way, I have mixed feelings
about the finished product. On one
hand, there are some songs that
could easily become classics, like “I’s
A Playa,” featuring Bun B, Z-Ro and
Twista. That’ll have you itching for
that UGK reunion album. But along
with the good, there are a few mis-
calculations. “Get My Money,” fea-
turing the Milwaukee Mack Pimpin’
Ken, has a dope premise, but doesn’t
live up to its potential.
Right after “Get My Money” is the
bass-guitar driven funkfest “Young
Prostitute,” which sounds like the
old Bar-Kays and Funkadelic albums
my uncles used to play while they
were making me wash their Regals.
That joint will definitely be appreci-
ated by the older crowd, but not the
younger.
The best thing about this album
really is Pimp C himself. Many UGK
fans may be somewhat disappointed
by the album, but still glad to hear
Pimp C on wax again. Any real fan
of Southern hip-hop music should
have this album in their collection
out of sheer respect. Plus, the beats
are dope. Pimp C can do no wrong,
remember?
- Wally Sparks,
wally@ozonemag.com
BIG BOI, KILLER MIKE, BUBBA
SPARXXX, & THE APHILLIATES
GOT THAT PURP
Purple Ribbon
This mixtape/album is sort of a
reintroduction to some familiar
names (Killer Mike and Bubba
Sparxx) and formal introduction
to the rest of Big Boi’s Purple
Ribbon batallion (Konkrete and
Scar). Good music is always the
best form of promotion, and this
mixtape accomplishes that goal
nicely.
Got That Purp is full of bangin’
new exclusive joints from the
entire Purple Ribbon roster,
Dungeon Family throwback tracks,
freestyles, and rare remixes.
Mixed by the Aphilliates’ DJ
Drama, Don Cannon, and DJ
Sense, the mixtape kicks off
with a dope-ass joint called “Oh
No” featuring Big Boi, Bubba,
and often overlooked DF rapper
Backbone. There’s another version
of this song floating around with
Killer Mike on it, but I prefer this
version.
The MVP of this mixtape has got to
be Killer Mike. The first freestyle
featured is a classic from an earli-
er Gangsta Grillz mixtape over the
Kanye West-produced “Ain’t No
Love” instrumental (“While you
was in yo’ PJs watchin’ Cartoon
Network, I was networkin’ learnin’
how to serve wet work”).
For the second freestyle, Killer
Mike uses the backdrop of the
112 bedroom joint “Cupid” and
proceeds to absolutely murder
(figuratively, and literally) the
track with a story of drugs, guns,
and violence. It’s simply amazing.
It’s a breath of fresh air to hear
an MC be an MC again, regardless
of the subject matter.
Other standout cuts are “Margar-
ita,” featuring Sleepy Brown, Big
Boi, and Pharrell, and “Pocket Full
of Midz,” which is Bubba Sparxxx’
take on the UGK classic “Pocket
Full of Stones.” This disc does not
disappoint, and is a must-have for
any Dungeon Family fan.
- Wally Sparks,
wally@ozonemag.com
 01: DJ Drama (hosted by Lil Wayne) “Dedication” 404-524-1266
or GangstaGrillz.com Atlanta, GA
DJ Vlad
02: DJ Bobby Black (hosted by Mike Jones) “Down & Dirty X” 770-995-2022 or DJBobbyBlack.com Atlanta, GA “Hot in Here Vol. 6”
03: DJ Suggablack “Street Radio Vol. 1: Live from the Hood” DJSuggab www.DJVlad.com
lack@tmomail.net NYC
04: DJ Chuck T “Down South Slangin’ Vol. 13” www.DJChuckT.com Charleston, SC
Hot tracks:
05: What’s Hood ”Diplomatic Instrumentals” WhatsHood@gmail.
com #07 - Fantasia b/w “Still Tippin’”
06: DJ Southpaw & DJ Swishocolate (hosted by Arrogant) “The Emissaries” DJ Southpaw40@aol.com Ft. Myers, FL #09 - 2Pac b/w “Lovers & Friends”
07: DJ 007 “For the Grown and Sexy” DJ007@tmail.com or 407-963-4 #21 - Jay-Z b/w “Shine On”
166 Ft. Myers, FL
08: Murda One Sound “Mello Vibez Vol. 3” www.m1sound.com or 407-716-3168 Orlando, FL
#33 - Notorious B.I.G. b/w “One Thing”
09: DJ G-Money “Heat on the Street”
10: DJ Aspekt & DJ Quake (hosted by Wyclef) “Perfect 10” DJAspekt@tmail.com or DJQuake@tmail.com Miami, FL
11: DJ Bishop “Chingy vs. Nelly Vol. 1 (F.E.D.S. Magazine)” NYC
12: DJ Scream (hosted by Boyz N Da Hood) “Only the Crunk Survive Vol. 9” 770-875-3544 Atlanta, GA
13: DJ Rondevu “The Four Horsemen” DJRondevu.com NYC
14: DJ Lex (hosted by Stat Quo) “Determined to Win” SilentKillahDJLex.com
15: Voice of the Streets “All Eyes on 50 Cent” VoiceofDaStreetz.co
m or 407-256-8487 Orlando, FL
16: P Cutta “Street Wars Vol. 12” www.PCutta.com NYC
16: DJ Sky “R&B Vibes” DJSky70@aol.com
18: DJ Warrior & DJ Strong “El Reggaeton Mix” WestCoastMixtapeKings.com or 310-384-4202 Los Angeles, CA
19: Mitchell Boy (hosted by BJ That Down South Country Boy) “Audio
Narcotics 2” MitchellBoyEntertainment.com
20: White Boi Pizal (hosted by David Banner) “Block Burner” 407-227-1631 or WhiteBoiPizal.net Orlando, FL
OZONE APR 2005 29

TJ’S DJ’S 4th QUARTER TASTEMAKERS ONLY
XCLUSIVES CD Disc 2 (www.TJsDJs.com)
EE-DE f. RASHEEDA / LET’S GET TO IT (COL-
LIPARK REMIX) – NME
Contact: NME Records – 404.885.5754
Ee-De “beats it from the front back and side to
side,” that’s why he’s known as Mr. Up & Down.
So, imagine how your speakers are going to
feel when mega-producer Beatz-In-Azz (BG’s “I
Want It”) gets on the track to enhance the vi-
bration. It must feel good because the Georgia
peach Rasheeda was inspired to write a beauti-
fully erotic sweet 16 to accompany the tune.
Bonus points go to TJ’s DJ’s CEO, TJ Chapman
for having the vision to A&R this project.
WOLFPAK f. MURDA BLAK / GET NASTY – VIS-
HOUS VIBES
Contact: Lamont Nanton – 866.428.4237
Q-Beatz uses the Newcleus classic, “Jam On
It” as a backdrop to have the Wolfpak bring
a new nasty twist for the dance floor. When
you listen to this tune, the one thing you can’t
do is sit still. Once the beat drops you’ll find
yourself wanting to shake a tailfeather. “Get
Nasty” on record is jamming, but when you
witness the energy expelled from the Wolfpak
while performing; it is a sight to behold. Visit
WolfpakMusic.com to find out for yourself.
TAMPA TONY / WINE – ISABOMB
Contact: David “Fifalow” Gay – 813.785.7903
Go shawty, just wine to the beat! Don’t know
what wine is? It’s when the booty rides the beat
from side to side. Tampa Tony keeps the chicks
jukin’ with another Tampa nugget.
SUAVE SMOOTH / CLAP THAT ASS – HEAD-
QUARTER
Contact: Jermaine Watkins – 561.389.5525
The West Palm Beach double threat is back!
He’s vicious on the mic and the beats. “Clap
That Ass” is no different as he rocks the bass
line giving tribute to all of the thick women.
Watching the strippers give this tune life gives
a whole new meaning to the thunder clap.
PRETTIE RICKIE & THE MAVERIX / SO FRESH,
SO CLEAN – SUPERSTAR
Contact: Phil – 754.235.9204
This song was produced by the original prob-
lem child, Total Kaos. He inserts classic Florida
horns and utilizes the rewind button masterful-
ly giving this tune a unique perspective. Prettie
Rickie & The Maverix put their bid in as to what
makes them so fresh and clean. When you “go
to church and pay your tithes with a platinum
Visa,” you get extra points.
DA BACKWUDZ / YOU GONNA LUV ME – ROW-
DY
Contact: Spearhead X – 678.698.4802
Milwaukee Black masterfully produced a track
that will do nothing but ring in your mind for
some time to come. This song is poised to be
huge, especially with a special personal clear-
30 OZONE APR 2005
ance by the icon Quincy Jones. Da Backwudz
take advantage of this opportunity by creat-
ing clever verses mixing in magazine names
and record labels to fit the rhyme sceme. “In
Double X-L, Murder Dog, the Source, on Vibes,
I’m Rolling Stones in late model rides, homey.
I’m Grand Hustling, Disturbing the Peace, I’m
So Def putting Organized Noize in the streets.”
Rest assured, by the end of the song, you’re
gonna luv it.
JODY / COMEBACK – FLORIDA BOY
Contact: Furquann – 904.545.5539
Jody borrows the Isley Brothers “Come Back”
to make a song “for everyone that’s got some-
body that they ain’t wit right now.” You can
feel Jody express his pain through his verses
reminiscing about the one that got away.
Jody’s not without hope knowing that one day
she’ll return, until that day he follows Jay-Z’s
lead and makes the song cry.
PICASO f. 2PAC & I.U. / GHETTO BLUES – MCS
Contact: Zodman – 212.532.8050
Whenever 2Pac blesses the mic from his hidden
depot in Cuba it is easy for any accompany-
ing artist to be lost in the shadow. Picaso &
I.U. do a good job establishing themselves as
their own entity. Their stories networked with
the production become uplifting although the
theme of the tune is telling hood tales.
GOLDEN CHILD / WE GOT THAT – DIGITAL
SOUL
Contact: Doc – 202.561.5838
“We Got That” brings an old school flavor
mixed with a new attitude. The understated
beat allows Golden Child to flow as if he’s on
a mission to prove that D.C. has real lyricists
in its midst. Or, more specifically Golden Child
knows he is “the untouchable lyrical terrorist
with the skills to knock anyone off the prem-
ises.” With a confidence like that, Golden
Child won’t need a recount for the truth to
be heard.
ARCHIE EVERSOLE / GIMME ROOM (CRUNK
MIX) – MOBB STAR
Contact: Arlinda Garrett – 404.886.4650
Archie Eversole attacks this track like a 46
defense in Madden ’05! Archie is often under-
rated as a true lyricist. If you don’t give him
room to do his thing, he’ll bite back and force
you to listen to his bars. Whenever he touches
the mic, beware and hide the kids because it’s
about to get ugly.
XTREMISTS / IS IT JUST US – HARSH REALITY
Contact: Mass – 561.319.7221
These children of the cotton pickers have hon-
ored the legacy of their ancestors by alerting
listeners to the evils of the word. The Xtrem-
ists are reminiscent of a Southern Public En-
emy by pointing out the wrongs in our society.
Asking “is it justice or just us,” they wonder
why the courts are systematically destroying
their culture and destroying their people. The
most enjoyable part of the tune is in the piano
riffs that set the insightful tone of the track.
VERBAL SCIENCE f. YOUNG CITY (Bad Boy) /
WATCHU RIDIN ON – HOT 4 EVA
Contact: Short-E – 813.810.4684
Missing in action since his departure from MTV’s
“Making The Band 2,” Young City (a.k.a. Chop-
per) makes an a appearance in Tampa with
Verbal Science. Blinging? Big blades on your
rides? Is that what’s hot in the streets right
now? Well, if you got it like that, either you
can make the song or you cannot make the song.
Verbal Science and Young City together prove that
they can make a song and don’t need Wyclef.
UNCLE HEAD f. CUTTHOAT & CHUCK / GET DIRTY
– BOTTOM LYNE
Contact: Uncle Head – 850.980.2725
Uncle Head, formerly of the Splack Pack (and
Palm Beach, bitch!) continues to drop bangin’ cuts
with new Bottom Lyne riders Cutthoat & Chuck.
This is a pure ridin’ tune that will have the speak-
ers preaching a hard bass line motivating you to
move. Look out for Palm Beach’s favorite uncle
as he continues to wiggle and poot his way to the
top.
DARK HEART / YA GET SKEETED ON – DARK
HEART
Contact: Flem Black – 813.784.5956
“Ya Gitt Skeeted On” is one of the rare tracks that
is self-explanatory. Dark Heart made a song that
lists all of the people they have issues with that
would provoke them to skeet. For instance, if a
girl thinks she’s too cute, “ya gitt skeeted on.”
The heavy use of horns in the production is Funk
Boogie-ish (producer, “Take It To The House”) and
creates a South Florida feel.
CHARLIE BOY / WHERE I STAY UP – GOTTA GET IT
Contact: Charles Roswell – 561.541.1896
It ain’t where ya from, it’s where ya at. Charlie
Boy is proud to let you know where he resides in
W. Palm Beach (bitch!). He loved it so much he
wrote a song about. Like to hear it? Here it goes.
“Where I Stay Up” is a tune that even if you aren’t
from WPB, with production this jammin’ you can
feel why Charlie Boy is proud of his town.
THE SHOCK / JUMP – FUTURE SHOCK
Contact: Nick Stamps – 850.251.2059
The hook is “right cheek…jump!, left cheek…
jump!” If you can catch a girl that can do that,
she is a great talent indeed in need of The Shock.
The Shock brings attention to the talented women
that are able to have great gluteus maximus con-
trol and skills. This is a talent that until now has
gone tragically uncelebrated.
VELLIE BOYZ / ISLAND – LOCKDOWN
Contact: Larry Cornelius – 954.579.4646
The Vellie Boyz sit back in lounge chairs dreaming
of what it would be like to be rich and live on your
own island. The beat has elements of a Caribbean
sound that makes you feel the mist of the crashing
waves. Biggie noted, mo’ money mo’ problems,
but some problems are good problems.
BLACK BOY / MY LIFE – FLORIDA BOY
Contact: Furquann – 904.545.5539
Black Boy knows life isn’t easy, especially what he
has endured. He felt it best to warn others that
the fast thug life isn’t always the best way. This
is a warning disguised as a head bobbing smooth
tune. Hopefully, Black Boy’s listeners will heed the
cautious lines.
DONUT / DJ – FIVE
Contact: Cassandra Montgomery – 318.218.9082
This melody is a slow jam dedicated to the heart-
beat of every dance, the DJ. Try slow grinding in
the club without a tune and see how fast a pimp
slap can make your head spin like The Exorcist.
Donut displays a suave style over this grooving
sample of sensual sounds. If a DJ uses this
song right, they’ll find the discs won’t be the
only thing getting cut up that night.
- Keith “1st Prophet” Kennedy,
keith@tjsdjs.com
 Event: WLLD’s Wildsplash
Venue: Coachman Park
2 1 Location: Clearwater, FL
Date: March 12th, 2005

Traditionally, traffic for Wild 98.7’s an-

nual Wildplash at Coachman Park (1) is
backed up miles away. 2005 is no excep-
tion. After a morning of bumper-to-bum-
per stop-and-go, the OZONE/CRUNK truck
comes to a rest at a makeshift parking lot
several blocks away from the park.

Brooke Valentine (2) starts things off, and

next up is Pitbull. People are still filtering
into the park. Florida afternoons in early
March are gorgeous. Clear blue sky, sun shin-
ing, but not too hot. Event organizers couldn’t
have picked a better date (or a better caterer).

Wildsplash performance lineups are typically

strange, sandwiching acts like Capleton and
The Roots between radio favorites like Pitbull
and Mario. It makes for a huge, diverse audi-
ence, an odd 20,000 person melting pot of
3 hoodrats, teenyboppers, and rastamen.

After Pitbull’s set, Capleton launches into an

extended rendition of reggae favorites. His
nearly hour-long performance is either spec-
tacular or boring, depending on who you ask.
Still, he’s well-received, considering that the
majority of the crowd isn’t familiar with his
music. Capleton is followed by heartthrob Ma-
rio (3). The entire front row of 14-year-old girls
8 is swooning and mouthing “I love you” as he
performs his massive hit “U Should Let Me Love
You” and his new single, “How Could You?”

While Mario entertains fans backstage, The

Roots (4, 5) naturally come through as the
highlight of the day. Performing hip-hop songs
with a live band is a difficult feat within itself,
and The Roots are well-practiced. Along with
their own hits (“You Got Me,” “Don’t Say Nut-
hin’”), they’ve made a career of covering other
artists’ singles live (Destiny’s Child’s “Uh Oh,”
Game’s “How We Do”). Their covers are so con-
vincing, at times it’s difficult to recall who’s
the original artist.

4 The crowd is quiet for the first half of The Roots’

set. It’s been a long day, and they’re unfamil-
iar with the material. But by the second half,
6 The Roots’ energy and superb showmanship
has won them over (6). The Roots exit stage
left to a loud ovation, but Black Thought looks
pissed. “That crowd was whack,” he grumbles.
Maybe the entire audience didn’t appreciate
The Roots’ artistic set, but they certainly won
over several new fans in the process. As Black
Thought climbs down the steps, a teenage girl
grabs him, screaming, “You’re better than 50!
You’re better than Em! You’re better than all
7 those muthafuckers! You’re my new favorite
rapper!”
5 After a long delay, the headliners Baby and Lil
Wayne finally arrive on tour buses. Wayne runs
through renditions of classic joints like “Tha
Block is Hot” and “Way of Life” mixed with ma-
terial from his new album, The Carter. After
introducing his new artists Young City and his
“pa” Baby, Wayne strips down (7) and drives
the crowd into a frenzy with “Go DJ.” Every-
body stayed amped til the very end.

7 - JB & KG (Photos: JB & Luis Santana)

OZONE APR 2005 31